FALMOUTH – Myron Dexter Hager of Falmouth passed away on Jan. 17, 2020, attended by loved ones. He was born May 26, 1917 to Myron Dexter Hager Sr. and Marion Eliza Warner Hager in So. Deerfield, Mass.He graduated from Deerfield High School in 1935 as Valedictorian, and after a postgraduate year at Deerfield Academy graduated from Massachusetts Agricultural College, now UMass – Amherst, in 1940. He was senior class president, a member of Kappa Sigma and student judiciary representative to the Senate.As a tenor on the college male quartet “Statesmen” he knew his future wife Gladys Glencross Archibald who sang soprano with the distaff quartet “Statettes”. They actually met and sang together in the chorus of Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Mikado”.After college Myron taught and coached basketball and baseball at Sanderson Academy in Ashfield, Mass., until he was drafted in September, 1941. In May of 1942, then a sergeant, he took a furlough to come home and marry Gladys. He soon went to OCS, was commissioned a 2nd Lt. and assigned to the Medical Service Corps, eventually ending up at Westover Field in Massachusetts. Discharged in February, 1946 as a Captain, he joined the Army Reserves retiring in 1977 as a Lt. Col. with 35 years total service.Upon discharge in 1946, he found a job teaching English at Guilford High School in Connecticut where the family, now with three children, settled in. In addition to teaching and raising his family, Myron was attending Yale University receiving his M.A. in 1951, and his PhD in 1956. He also directed, and with Gladys, sang in the Congregational Church Choir. With degree in hand Myron found a position as Director of Admissions at Westbrook Junior College, becoming Emeritus upon retirement in the early 1980’s. Moving to Falmouth in the fall of 1955, first on Middle Road, then Payson Road. after the children left, and finally to Ocean View as the second residents, Myron and Gladys belonged to the Congregational Church, and sang in the church choir for more than 50 years. In 1965 they bought a small summer camp (no plumbing or electricity) on Eggemoggin Reach in Brooklin, ME, where they spent many enjoyable summers. Myron breathed music. He and Gladys were members of, and active volunteers in many organizations: while in Brooklin; Rockbound Chapel hymn sings, Surrey Opera Co. (with trips to Russia and Japan), Blue Hill Church choir, and Bagaduce MusicLending Library. While in Falmouth; Choral Art Society, Magic of Christmas chorus (25 years), Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, Longfellow Chorus, Maine Historical Society, Foster Grandparents, SMAA’s RSVP Advisory Council, Meals on Wheels, Money Minders, a couple of Brunswick choirs trips to Ireland and across Siberia, eighteen Elderhostel theater and music programs, mostly in the US, but once to England and once to Poland for three weeks where they taught English in a small town outside Krakow.Myron has also held such other positions as Director of Deferred Giving at Westbrook College, president of the Ocean View Residents Council, representative and president of CEEB (College Entrance Examination Board), and Treasurer of the Falmouth Congregational church, which is where you could also find him at the check-in table at church suppers. At Ocean View he sang in their chorus until he was 101. Myron enjoyed baseball, the Red Sox and Sea Dogs of course. He went to a game at Fenway when he was 99, and threw out a “first pitch” at a Sea Dog’s game when he was 100.Five weeks before he passed away Myron was awarded the Boston Post Cane, being the oldest person living in Falmouth.Myron is survived by his three children, William (Susan) of Windham, Stephen of Florence, Ore. and Marjorie Baker (John) of Stafford Springs, Conn. He had four grandchildren, Julie, Dexter, Jennifer and Daniel; and seven great-grandchildren, Acadia, Amelia, Charle Myron, Michael, James, K.J., and Grace.
A celebration of his life will be held at the Falmouth Congregational Church and Parish Hall on Feb. 22, 2020 at 1 p.m. Burial will be in the Spring at Brookside Cemetery, So. Deerfield, Mass.You may offer your condolences or share memories at www.lindquistfuneralhome.com
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the church or a charity of your choice
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.