Rosemary A. Hagen – August 25, 1924 – June 5, 2024

Rosemary born and raised in Minneapolis Min. She went on to the University of Minnesota where she eventually achieved an MA in 1950. There she met Paul Hagen whom she married on June 22, 1947 and they were together for 53 years until his death in 2001. Rosemary is survived by two nieces, Nancy Gruchow and Diana Cross, and a nephew, Fred Harding, as well as cousins, great nieces and nephews

Rosemary taught 7th to 12th grade English, remedial reading and speech for twenty-eight years in Minnesota and New York State. She also ran speech and debate programs and directed plays.

The last 10 years of her career, she was the coordinator of an alternative school at Edison High in Minneapolis. This was a school-within-a-school for 10th to 12th grade students with average or above average abilities who were deficient in basic skills--reading, writing and math and were in danger of dropping out. About 90% of the students stayed in school and graduated. Rosemary dedicated her life to the kids with low basic skills because she believed that refusing to teach these kids does them or society no favors.

Rosemary and Paul were on the Board of the Anoka County, MN Mental Health Association where Paul served as President. Rosemary was also VP of the Anoka County Democratic Club. She was appointed by Governor Karl Rolvaag to the first state commission for the Status of Women where she was VP of the Equal Pay Committee.

Rosemary and Paul moved to Englewood, FL in 1989 where she became very active. Some of her activities were:

• The Englewood Art Guild, now Ringling School of Art, Englewood.

• With Bob La Salle, and Charley Miller, she started the Gulf Coast Humanist Assn. which is still operating. She was the president for 10 years and wrote the newsletter.

• The Englewood Peace Initiative Program

• Great Decision Discussion group

• She was a member of two Unitarian Universalist churches, the Port Charlotte UU and UUCOV,

the Venice UU.

• She ran a Reader's Theatre in Pt Charlotte for five years

• With both churches she worked toward improving conditions of the Immokalee Farm Workers and was one of the lay people responsible for the investigative visit by Senators Bernie Sanders and Teddy Kennedy. After their visit, conditions for the farm workers abruptly improved.

In politics, Rosemary was twice President and once Vice President of the Englewood Democratic club. She and her good friend Roger Bishop were in charge of a congressional campaign in the Sarasota area of Englewood where they placed over 300 signs.

A gathering in her memory will be held on Tuesday, June 25 at 10 am at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota, 3975 Fruitville Rd, Sarasota, FL 34232.  

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