Jane Alexandria Hager

Jane Afanasiev Hager rose with the sun to greet her parents, Mitrofan & Frances Afanasiev; her loving husband, Roy Hager; her in-laws, Howie & Tootsie Hager; & many friends, fellow singers & crafters on Friday, August 22 at her home in Peoria, AZ. She is survived by her nephew & niece, Tom Hager & Vicki Lauruhn; niece, Sibyl Roche; nephew, Fred Hager niece Sharon Bolin; & 5 grand nieces & nephews & several great grands.

   Born in Boseman, Montana in 1937 our brilliant aunt sang with the New York Community Choir, she earned a degree as a dietician at Montana State University, and worked in Rochester as a dietician. She met in & married Roy Hager in 1976 and spent many years in Mankato. They owned a lake cabin on Lake Jefferson near Cleveland, MN & eventually joined Jane’s parents in Sun City, AZ, in 1986 where they settled. Being true lake people, they summered in Minnesota and wintered in Sun City.

      In Minnesota they attended Belgrade Methodist Church and in Sun City; they attended Willowbrook Methodist  Church where Jane was an alto voice in the choir and in her late years there worked tirelessly managing the choir music for practices & services. She also left her presence behind in her many art & crafting projects—her beautiful Hardanger, crochet, & quilts. She worked tirelessly on many projects that were donated to local organizations and her church’s Kris Krafters annual sale. Jane was an active member of her neighborhood association where she was respected and will be missed.

    Though seemingly a quiet woman our Jane gave us many 4th of July picnics complete with her own choreographed fireworks displays at the lake. And she was a lover of the earth and an avid rock hound, was familiar with every rock she’d held or mined with an eye for its special beauty. 

      Jane has expressed her desire to have her cremains buried quietly alongside her beloved Roy in Mankato without memorial or service. The most treasured measure of her church’s love for her was the act of celebrating her as your first Church Mouse in January this year. In her unassuming way she did not even tell us about it but we were delighted for her and felt your love. Therefore, at her request we will not have a funeral or memorial service.

     Special thanks to Anabel, Mark, & Andre of The Inn Assisted Living and Abraham of Hospice of the Valley for seeing us through to Jane’s last week. And to all those who so lovingly cared for her in her last months. She was loved.