Daniel Patrick Hagen

Daniel Patrick Hagen

Daniel Patrick Hagen passed away at 4:44pm on 2/22/2025 after bravely facing cancer for the past year. He was born on February 5th, 1957, in Elgin, Illinois, the eldest son of John Wellington Hagen and Virginia Louise (nee Hart) Hagen.

At 6’7” tall, Dan was a gentle giant to everyone who knew him. Humble, neighborly, generous, and non-judgmental, he had big blue eyes that instantly communicated kindness and a wonder of the world – along with a sparkle conveying his fantastic sense of humor! Dan was a noble man in the truest sense of the word: honest, loyal, unwavering in his integrity, compassionate to family, friends, strangers, and animals. As a wellspring of information and a helping hand, he provided a foundational strength and sense of security to those around him. He lived up to his stature, and people (especially his daughters Kelly & Teri) looked up to him.

Dan spent his childhood playing along creek banks in Texas and his teen years in the Wisconsin woods that he grew to love so dearly. Following closely in his father John’s footsteps, Dan pursued an education in electrical engineering and built a career as a telecommunications engineer. He gained expertise from the ground up—teaching himself via hands-on work maintaining switches in field offices across Wisconsin. Eventually, he would design and engineer the very systems he once worked on.

His hard-earned fieldwork knowledge set him apart, and Dan was greatly respected by colleagues who not only admired his humble leadership but also recognized his deep, practical understanding of industry technology. Dan was especially proud to be chosen by peers to represent them as president of the Siemens telecommunications user group, speaking at annual conferences. One fond memory was the year they surprised him with the gift of a visit from a Harlem Globetrotter. (Everyone who met Dan would always ask, “Did you play basketball?!”)

Dan’s greatest role was as a wonderful father. During home improvement projects, he would bring his daughters along, patiently explaining how things worked and letting them help. He encouraged them to be independent and well-rounded, from trying new sports to being adventurous about new foods. Dan was great in the kitchen, demonstrating how to make classic Midwestern recipes, baking his favorite (German chocolate cake), and of course grilling on the deck (that he built by hand!) and sitting down to a family meal around the picnic table (that he also built by hand!)

As a Dad not only did he make every day into a teaching moment, but he was not afraid to be silly! He would horse around with Kelly & Teri, make up funny stories about two adventurers named “Telly & Keri,” and employ a well-timed “pull-my-finger”… Anything to unleash a stream of giggles from his admiring daughters. Dan was formerly married to Nona, the mother of his children, and for 25 years they worked together to build a loving, supportive, happy, and fun family of four.

Dan’s generosity of spirit extended to everyone he knew. He was the person friends and family would call in the middle of the night if they needed their car dug out of the snow, or if Kelly’s car broke down on the way to the mall, or even special requests such as when Teri and her dormmates had a hankering for toast and he, without hesitation, delivered a contraband toaster in the middle of the night. While his daughters were in college, he showed up with a van full of empty bins to help them move no less than 14 times in seven years.

Not a day went by where Dan wasn’t equipped with multiple pens, a highlighter, and a folded-up piece of paper in his shirt pocket—always prepared to take notes or jot down a reminder. His unapologetically practical nature also meant he was prepared for anything with a garage full of tools. (Which he was happy to lend out, as he clearly printed his first and last name on every item he owned. His daughters would tease him about this, to which he would reply, “Hey, it must work since I’ve gotten back everything I’ve ever loaned out!”)

Dan’s sense of humor shined bright. He loved rewatching classic comedies such as Airplane, Family Vacation, and Three Amigos. While facing cancer, Dan, Kelly, and Teri referred to each other as the Three Amigos as they worked as a team navigating all the logistics and planning in a way that would make any engineer proud. Laughter was one of the tools Dan leaned on in tough times—even during his chemo treatments, he was cracking jokes with the nurses and became a favorite patient.

Dan had a lifelong love for the outdoors and road-tripping, which he passed down to his daughters. There were endless camping trips throughout Wisconsin parks, at first in an inherited army tent and then in the pop-up camper. He worked hard and saved money to ensure the family could take an annual vacation in the quintessential wood-paneled station wagon, eventually upgrading to a conversion van with all the bells and whistles. Without the use of the internet, he meticulously plotted routes on his Rand McNally atlas, filling the days with national monuments as well as uniquely memorable sites such as the Corn Palace in South Dakota. One of his daughters was always in the front seat following along the route in the role of “Navigator.” Every February was a special three-day trip to the Best Western in Eau Claire, where they would shake off the winter blues splashing around the indoor pool, eating pizza, and playing arcade games. That short annual getaway felt like the biggest treat!

No road trip would be complete without Dan’s favorite classic rock on the speakers. Always a planner, he meticulously recorded hours of oldies from the local radio station onto cassette tapes so the family would have music in remote areas without antenna reception. Classic rock was also heard on his paint-splattered garage boombox any time he was working out there. He had an affinity for any live music (especially featuring saxophone), along with some surprise choices such as the entire MTV’s Jock Jams collection! Sometimes he would improvise raps about a tall man named Dan in a van, much to the amusement of his family.

One of Dan’s greatest loves was cars. He spoke fondly of his first car, a blue VW Beetle (one of the few times he went for style over sensibility!), and his most favorite car, a green 1970 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. Spotting any classic car, he could immediately identify the year/make/model, sharing facts and opinions on various features such as headlights or engines. Car shows were a favorite destination. Combining his love of cars and helping others, Dan was the first person anyone consulted when making a vehicle purchase. He helped find the best car for his daughters, his brother, his sister, and many others.

In addition to spending time in the garage keeping his cars in top shape, Dan also loved planning, building, and maintaining structures. He took pride in building the first family home, along with upgrading and building out the home in Tomah—designing and installing the electrical, plumbing, painting, flooring, drywall, and more. When his daughters lived in questionable downtown Madison rentals, he was the first person they called when something needed fixing.

Even as a child, Dan knew he wanted to someday live in the beautiful city of Madison, and in 1999 he made that dream come true. He took great pleasure in sitting by Madison’s lakes, enjoying the beautiful views and sounds of nature. As an adventurous eater, he appreciated the city's variety of restaurants. He loved a warm summer evening spent at Madison International Speedway, cheering for the drivers. Dan spoke often with pride about the architectural greatness of the state capitol building, and in what would be his final outing he had the chance to tour its beautiful marbled wings and painted ceilings once again. Afterward, he shared a wonderful dinner with his daughters at a top-floor restaurant, where they were treated to a sunset with a perfect view overlooking the capitol building and the city.

Dan’s journey in this lifetime also included mental health challenges, through which he fought bravely for over two decades. Becoming an advocate for mental health awareness, he was on the board at Cornucopia, a wellness organization. Dan was not defined by his struggles, but by his courage, resilience, and willingness to keep fighting. Through it all, he never lost his ability to share humor, kindness, and love -- proving that even in darkness, light can shine through.

Dan is survived by his daughters Kelly Marie Hagen and Teri Louise Hagen, and his beloved kitty Butter. They will forever hold this hero of a Dad in their hearts. He is also survived by his eight brothers and sisters and countless nieces and nephews. Dan was preceded in death by his parents, John and Virginia Hagen, and Taffy and Chiquita, his beloved pet companions who were always snuggled by his side.

A private celebration will be held in the springtime for family and friends at Kingsley Cemetery in Waunakee. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the National Alliance on Mental Illness.