Obituary of Helge Olaf Hagen

Helge Olaf Hagen HAGEN, Helge Olaf – Age 67 of Conquerall Bank, passed away peacefully on March 27, 2016 in the South Shore Regional Hospital. Born August 15, 1948 in Bridgewater, and raised in LaHave, he was the son of the late Olaf and Eva (Getson) Hagen (of LaHave). After leaving school, he decided to follow his fathers footsteps and his Viking heritage and began a life-long career on the sea. He worked on two ships for Canadian Gypsum out of Hantsport, sailed on various fishing vessels, worked with Karlsen shipping, where he went whale and seal hunting, and sailed the Great Lakes and the Northern Sea. Helge then joined Imperial Oil where he sailed as Chief Engineer on the Bedford, the Acadia and the St. Clair, along the eastern seaboard, the Great Lakes and overseas. At the age of 28 he wrote his chief Engineers ticket and at that time, became the youngest in Canada to achieve that certification. Imperial Oil sold the ships to Algoma Marine where Helge finished his working days and retired in 2005. It was a career he was very proud of. Helge loved the great outdoors or “Wild Canada,”, as he referred to it. He loved to swim in the ocean between May and November. Often times you would find him off Crescent Beach far beyond where others dared to go, swimming and floating in the water, which he found to be a very tranquil experience. He loved the wooded areas and got lost in nature as he had a deep respect for the hierarchy of animals that lived in it. He understood the balance of the forest and nature better than most. He was an avid adventurer who shared his epic tales with his friends and family and had many close encounters with accidental death and prided himself on being a survivor. His perseverance and determination were an inspiration to his family. Although he was taken at what we feel is an early age, he felt that he did more in his life time than many and was very happy with his life’s outcome as he achieved all of his life and career goals. He loved driving in the country and on old dirt roads in the middle of the night, hunting, fishing, boating, swimming, ATVing the trails with his friends and his latest passion, photography, He was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, branch 24 and the Central Nova ATV Club. Helge was a firm believer that you only get out of life from what you put in it and lived by that rule. He will be sadly missed by friends and family. His favourite quote: “a pup for a path and an old dog for a rough road,” is something the family would like him to be remembered by. He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Janice Marie (Nauss) Hagen; his son, Stephen (Tanya) Hagen, Bridgewater; grandchildren, Olivia and Alexander Hagen and his sidekick Daisy, a little Yorkie terrier who was always by his side and little Olie who only knew him a week but they fell instantly in love, all of whom he loved dearly; his sisters, Mary (Brian) Meagher, LaHave; Linda (Roger) Carre, Montreal; Johanna (Eric) Rafuse, Bell Island; Pauline (Scott) MacKay, Fancy Lake and brother, Fred Hagen, Pleasantville; several nieces and nephews. There will be a casual get together to celebrate the life of Helge Hagen on Aug. 15, 2016 from 5-7 p.m. at the LaHave Fire Hall, 50 School House Rd, LaHave. Further celebration will take place afterward at Hell’s Retreat, a short distance from the hall, where family and friends will gather around a fire, weather permitting. No flowers please. Donations may be made to The Lodge that Gives, Hope for Wildlife, the South Shore Regional Hospital or any charity of your choice. Arrangements entrusted to Sweeny’s Funeral Home, Bridgewater (902 543-2587) and where online condolences may be made by visiting www.sweenysfuneralhome.com or by messaging condolences@sweenysfuneralhome.com. .