John Allan Hagen was born on the Hagen family farm near Keene, ND on 01/25/1942. After graduating high school in New Town, ND in 1960, he moved to Great Falls, MT, where he met and married Arlyss Fiskum in 1962 and also began his career at EK Jenkins and Morrison Knudsen.

John was known to have an engineer’s mind and was quickly promoted. He enjoyed his time as a purchasing agent and drafting ideas at the drawing board. His first two children were born in Great Falls, MT. He later moved his family to Los Angeles, CA, in 1969 to start a coating and contracting business and then to Atlanta, GA, and Langdon, ND in 1970, followed by Dickinson, ND in 1971, where he worked for EDC and Endico.

In 1975, John married JuDee Moore and adopted her two children. Together, they opened JuDee’s Interiors in Dickinson, ND. He later moved to Williston and worked at Stockman Motor before retiring to the Hagen family farm in Keene, ND.

John was a talented, self-taught musician who could play any stringed instrument by ear, primarily the guitar and fiddle, but also banjo and mandolin. He also had a lifelong love of cars.

John spent his final 12 years battling metastatic colon cancer spending half his time in Bismarck for treatment and the other half on the farm that he loved. His last 4 months were at Hay Creek Lodge Senior Living in Bismarck, where he was affectionately known as “Cowboy” and passed peacefully on 4/19/26.

John’s final years were a testament to his strength and independence. He became a dedicated researcher of his own health and combined traditional and alternative treatments.

John is survived by his children, Laurie Glynn (Kevin), Chip Hagen (Marcia), Nicole Johnson, and Guy Hagen (Rebecca); his former wives, Arlyss Nelson and JuDee Buxton; his siblings, Larry Hagen, Esther Larson (Carl), Waldo Hagen (Suzanne), and Carolyn Lardy; his grandchildren, Kelsey Shirley (Connor), Christine Glynn, Jake Hagen, Toby Hagen, Jasmine LaVallie, Savannah LaVallie, Gavin Johnson, and Bella Johnson; and great-grandchildren, Alejandro Mosqueda and Aiyanna Mosqueda as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Anne Hagen; and his brother-in-law, Dennis Lardy.

Memorial Contribution