Richard “Dick” Hagen, beloved husband, father, grandfather, friend, educator and legendary soccer coach, passed away surrounded by the family he loved so deeply.

To generations of athletes in Lima, Ohio, he was Coach Hagen. To his family, he was simply Dad and Papa — the steady presence at the center of a family that adored him.

Dick was a graduate of Capital University and continued his education at The Ohio State University, where he earned his master’s degree and completed additional postgraduate studies.

Dick devoted decades of his life to teaching and coaching, most notably as the longtime head coach of the Shawnee High School boys soccer program. Beginning in 1986, he helped build a program whose impact reached far beyond wins and losses. Over the course of his remarkable career, Dick accumulated more than 300 victories and became one of Ohio’s most accomplished high school soccer coaches.

His achievements earned recognition throughout the state, including being named the 2006 Northwest Ohio Division II Public School Coach of the Year and the 2010 Ohio Division II Boys Soccer Co-Coach of the Year.

Yet the numbers and awards tell only a small part of his story.

For Dick, coaching was about people. Season after season, young men walked onto his soccer field and left having learned lessons about hard work, accountability, teamwork, perseverance and how to carry themselves long after the final whistle. The relationships he built with his players, fellow coaches, students and families became part of a legacy that will continue for generations.

Raised in the Lutheran faith in Minnesota, Dick carried that faith with him throughout his life and continued to live it wherever he worshiped. His faith was expressed through service as much as through words. Over the years, he served on church council and as a youth leader, generously giving his time and talents to the congregations he called home. He also found great joy in tending the church grounds and gardens, quietly caring for and beautifying a place that meant so much to him. His lifelong faith could be seen not only in his commitment to the church, but in the way he served others and gave of himself — a life that reflected the words of Jesus, “Blessed are the peacemakers.”

As proud as Dick was of the teams he coached, nothing compared to the pride he had in his own family. His greatest role was not one that came with a whistle or appeared in a record book. It was being a husband, a father and, especially, Papa. He also had a lifelong love for his Golden Retrievers, cherishing the companionship of Abby, Tucker and Lilly through the years, and most recently, his faithful Penny.

Those fortunate enough to know Dick will remember far more than what he accomplished. They will remember the stories, the lessons, the laughter, the traditions and the unmistakable way his presence could fill a room. They will remember a man who spent his life investing in other people.

His family will remember the quieter pieces of him — the moments that never made a newspaper or a record book, but ultimately mattered most.

Dick is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Julia “Julie” Hagen; his children, Erik (Tricia) Hagen and Gretchen; his grandchildren, Drew, Zoe, Naelee, Natti, Nyla and Nason; and his brother, Robert. He was preceded in death by his parents, Barney and Myrtle Hagen, and his sister, Beverley.

He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy in his family, his church, the Shawnee community, Ohio soccer and the countless lives that are different because Coach Hagen was once part of them.

The scoreboard has gone dark, but the lessons Coach taught, the family Papa helped build and the love Dick gave throughout his life will remain.

And somewhere, we like to think, Coach has found a field again.

Family and friends are invited to gather on Monday, August 31, at Christ Lutheran Church, 732 Hebron Road, Heath, Ohio 43056. Calling hours will begin at 10:30 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:30 a.m. A graveside service will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery, 350 E. Maple Street, Granville, Ohio 43023.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Christ Lutheran Church or Heartland Hospice in Dick’s memory.

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