Beloved husband of nearly 70 years to the late Pat Haggans, Wes Haggans passed away Monday, September 25, 2017. He was born in Ortonville, Minnesota on August 21, 1922 to Blanche Belle (Workman) and Rev. George Leonard Haggans.
Wes’s father was a Methodist minister, so the family moved every few years through the small towns west of Minneapolis. Wes graduated from high school in Excelsior, Minnesota and entered the University of Minnesota in the fall of 1940. He joined the Air Corps Reserves in 1942 and was called to active duty in early 1943.
Basic training brought him to the University of Missouri, where one afternoon at a USO tea dance he met the love of his life, Margaret Susan (Pat) Atkinson. They corresponded for more than a year as training took him from coast to coast. By the time he shipped overseas, they were engaged. They married in June 1945 after the end of the war in Europe, during which Wes piloted B-17s on four bombing missions.
Pat and Wes settled in Nevada in late 1950, were active in the community and raised three sons. While Pat taught school, Wes ran the Nevada Hatchery with Pat’s parents, John and Stella Atkinson. Wes started Haggans Real Estate in 1965. With the hatchery and in real estate Wes worked with hundreds of folks throughout the county. Through all of these many business dealings he was a man known for honesty and integrity.
His dear wife Pat, and his sisters, Alice Montalto and Ruth Munz, preceded him in death. Wes is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, Michael (Katie) Haggans, John (Mary) Haggans, Charles (Carol) Haggans; six grandchildren, Sarah (Joe) Swearingen, Matthew (Valerie) Haggans, Emily Haggans, Kiri Haggans, Vanessa Haggans and Sam Haggans and 5 great-grandchildren. He was Uncle Wes to his many nieces, nephews and cousins who for years joined in huge family Thanksgiving dinners.
He was a member of the United Methodist Church and active in Rotary and many other civic organizations including Habitat for Humanity and Meals on Wheels. He stopped delivering meals when he was 90.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, September 29, 2017 at the United Methodist Church in Nevada with Rev. Sharon Freeman officiating. Interment will follow in El Dorado Springs City Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday evening at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada.
The family wishes to express most sincere gratitude to the caring people of Morningside and Heartland Hospice who helped to make his last years so warm and peaceful. Memorials can be given to: Haggans Scholarship Fund, c/o Nevada R-5 Foundation, 811 W. Hickory, Nevada, MO 64772 or Nevada Methodist Church, 500 S. College, Nevada, MO 64772.
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