Plan for the Future
Click here to view the Memorial Service
Livestream on Sat, 8/26 @ 11am
Robert Alan Hageman (Bob) came into this world on May 17,1939. He passed away from Pulmonary Fibrosis on August 9, 2023, at the age of 84.
Bob is survived by his wife Lois, his son Robb, his daughter-in-law Erin, his two granddaughters, Reese and Brynn, his brother Ronald, nephews Daniel and David, nieces Rebecca, Margaret and Faith and many other relatives and friends.
Bob grew up in Chicago and attended first grade at the last one-room schoolhouse on the South Side of the city. He was a proud Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America, received BA and MA degrees from Western Michigan University and did his doctorate work at Michigan State University. He earned varsity letters in baseball, football, and basketball, but his true sport was baseball where he received several Major League offers.
In 1960 Bob was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. This meant an athletic career that would not materialize and resulted in his monitoring of blood sugars 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, while giving himself several insulin injections during the day. This became a normal part of his life. Fortunately, he was well disciplined and served as an example to others in the same position since he lived 63 years after his diagnosis.
Bob taught Social Studies for one year (1964-1965) in Waukegan Township High School in Waukegan, Illinois and was a Professor of Economics at the State University of New York in Buffalo, New York from 1965 through 1967.
Following his academic tenure, he went to Wall Street in 1968 eventually becoming a Partner and Managing Director at Kidder, Peabody and Oppenheimer companies.
Bob was a highly acclaimed Metals and Mining analyst recognized by his peers in the Annual Institutional Investor magazine survey as a top analyst a record 40 times over a 20-year period in both the Nonferrous Metals Industry and the Steel Industry. His position enabled him to travel around the world many times visiting mines and steel mills. It also exposed Bob to different cultures giving him insights into global political, economic, and social changes when compared with those in the United States.
Bob retired in 1996. His post-retirement contributions were board member and Vice President of the Summit Historical Society, board member and chairman of the Investment Committee of the Summit Area Red Cross, a member of its Legacy Society, and an Elder in the Presbyterian Church. He was also a published author of many historical articles and short stories. Bob was a long-time member of Canoe Brook Country Club, an avid Fly Fisherman with travels to New Zealand, the western states of America, as well as his favorite streams in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He was a lifetime member of Trout Unlimited and the Coldwater Conservation Society along with VASA (Swedish-American organization).
His true delight, however, along with his wife, Lois, was helping to care for his granddaughters, Reese and Brynn. Bob treasured their times together and watching them grow into wonderful young ladies for which he was very proud. Reese is now 16 years of age and Brynn is 14 years of age.
Finally, religion and education were the cornerstones that Bob saw as the true pillars of American Society. He often spoke of the need to preserve these foundations if the United States was to continue to earn and receive respect while influencing it citizenry and the rest of the world. Bob often said, “if just one of these pillars weakens, America weakens.”
Visitation and a Memorial Service will be held at Bradley and Son Funeral Home located at 345 Main Street Chatham, NJ. Visitation will be Friday, August 25th 5-8pm. The Memorial Service will be held Saturday, August 26th at 11am (also available via livestream).
His family requests in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org).
