LeRoy Jacob Hagen

Missoula -  LeRoy Jacob Hagen (85) passed away at Providence St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula, MT on May, 7, 2025.  Born in Miles City, MT to Jacob & Emma (Moos) Schmitt and one-year old, sister Frances on May 13, 1939.

The family moved to Shelby, Montana on December 6, 1941 and woke up the next morning to the news that Pearl Harbor had been attacked.  His father worked at a dairy in Shelby and one Sunday morning, when LeRoy was 3, his dad went to feed the cattle before church and never returned; having been fatally gored by a bull.

Later, Emma married Alvin M. Hagen who then adopted both children and they changed their last names to Hagen.

LeRoy’s childhood years were spent between their house in town and on the farm 20 miles northeast of Shelby.  After graduating from Shelby High School, he attended Montana State University for a year. 

Around that time, he went to a basketball game in Conrad and met Virginia Venetz.  They began courting and continued dating while she attended Northern Montana College in Havre and he served in the military, stationed at Kessler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. 

They married in Conrad, MT on April 29, 1962. Virginia joined him in Biloxi shortly after (having completed her teaching degree in 3 years).  Their son, Lance, was born February 10, 1965.  LeRoy trained in ground radio repair then became an instructor.

Having been honorably discharged from the Air Force, they moved back to Shelby working the farm with his parents and later became a Deputy Sherrif then Under Sherrif of Toole County.  Their family grew with daughter Sherri born March 8, 1967 and daughter Cristy born September 5, 1970.

He then had an opportunity to become an instructor at the Montana Law Enforcement Academy so they moved to Bozeman where daughter Tana completed the family May 1, 1975.

They returned to take over the farm in 1979 and he and Virginia worked side-by-side until retiring in 2006.  While retired, they enjoyed being full-time RVers; spending winters in Parker, Arizona and summers in Montana.

LeRoy was tirelessly devoted to Virginia while she went through 17 years of cancer treatments and other health issues.  They were joined at the hip their entire marriage and when she passed away (2016), he had to learn how to live without her; an incredibly difficult task for him and the rest of the family to do. 

He moved to Anaconda to be close to his youngest grandkids and when they moved to Missoula in 2019, he followed; most recently enjoying living at The Village Senior Residence.

He was a member of the Shelby Masonic Lodge No. 143 where he served as Worshipful Master.  He also served as Worshipful Grand Master for Masonic Grand Lodge of Montana for the 1994-95 term and as Chairman of the Grand Masters of North America Conference held in Fargo, ND in 1995.  He was a member of the Order of Eastern Star of Shelby Chapter No. 113 where he was a Worthy Patron numerous times.  He served as the Worthy Grand Patron of the Grand Chapter of Montana OES for the 2004-05 term.  He was also a member of the Scottish Rite, York Rite, Shriners, and St. Luke’s Lutheran Church (Shelby).

He also enjoyed playing golf and cards, geo-caching, Jeeping with friends, and creating pastel drawings and oil paintings.  Though he said he just dabbled in art, he was always pleased when asked to display some of his pieces for others to enjoy.

LeRoy is predeceased by wife, Virginia Louise (Venetz) Hagen, his parents Jacob Schmitt, Emma Moos Schmitt Hagen, & Alvin M. Hagen; Father & Mother-in-law, Vernon & Alice (Keil) Venetz; Sister Frances; Brothers-in-law Art Smith, Gideon Schmidt, Wayne Venetz, & Virgil Venetz; Sister-in-law Joyce Venetz, and Nephews Allen Smith and Dick Schmidt.

He is survived by his children Lance (Cindy) Hagen-Polson, MT, Sherri (Kurt) Sand-Afton, WY, Cris (Dana) Lund-Wylie, TX, & Tana (Shane) Taylor-Missoula, MT; grandchildren Rachael & Lake Hagen; Devin Sand, Lindsey (Cameron) Draney; Rian Parker (Andrea) Lund, Paige Lund; Dillon & Bridger Taylor; Sister-in-law Carol Schmidt; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life and ash scattering at Many Glacier (GNP), where his beloved Virginia’s ashes were spread, will be held at a future date.

Condolences may be sent to:  Tana Taylor 5749 Prospect Drive Missoula, MT 59808. 

LeRoy requested that memorial donations be given to the Montana Grand Chapter (Cancer Fund) c/o Fern Thompson, Grand Sec., PO Box 1226, Laurel, MT 59044 or any youth organization of the donor’s choice.