Philip Hagny

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Philip Warn Hagny, 92, of Gettysburg, passed away Monday, April 20, 2020 at his home on the farm.

Due to COVID-19, travel and other restrictions at this time, a private funeral with immediate family will be held at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Gettysburg, with Pastor David Otten presiding. Burial will follow in the Gettysburg Cemetery with military honors.

Philip Warn Hagny was born September 9, 1927, the son of Henry Aaron and Mabel Warn Hagny. Philip was born in rural Potter County, and he was baptized into Christ on September 25, 1927. He was confirmed at St. John’s Lutheran Church, Agar, SD.

After attending Warn country school and graduating Onida high school, Phil worked on the family farm until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in December of 1953. Overseas, he was in the Special Category Army Reassigned with the Air Force (SCARWAF), mostly working on cleaning up the island of Iwo Jima from the ravages of war, ten years earlier. His honorable discharge was in December of 1955, when he returned to Gettysburg to continue farming and ranching which included a particular passion for Red Angus cattle. He also felt compelled to plant as many trees as he could on the home place, meanwhile practicing soil conservation.

Phil worked toward getting the Liberty Lanes Bowling Alley built in Gettysburg, after which he participated in league bowling for many years, and later bowling with the Senior Citizens. Phil also had an interest in baseball and enjoyed rooting for the “underdog”.

Philip was united in marriage to Gladys Mae Walde on March 4, 1967, at Grace Lutheran Church in Denver. They moved into the big square house that Phil’s father had built many years prior, circa 1910. In 1968, Phil had a new house built according to his floor plans for him and his bride. Philip and Gladys were blessed with one son and two daughters and were married for 53 years.

Phil enjoyed traveling, and he and Gladys took memorable trips to Russia, Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, Mexico and Canada. Phil also went to Ukraine with son Matthew. During his time with the military he was in Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, and spent one day in Taipei, Taiwan.

Phil was preceded in death by his son, Matthew; his parents; two brothers: Ezra and Aaron; and six sisters: Irene Swanson, Rose Mink, Alice Iversen, Dorothy Genser, Gladys Leblow, and Phyliss Zuber.

Phil’s life will be treasured by his wife, Gladys of Gettysburg; daughters, Sara French (Eric) and Emilie Downs (Tony); three dear grandchildren, Edward, Jillian and Miles French; and numerous nieces and nephews of which he spent many Sundays and holidays.

He was an excellent card player, keeping track of which cards had been played and making calculations of what might be in his opponents’ hands. Phil enjoyed Scrabble in recent years and won often, including this past Easter afternoon.

Although he will be dearly missed, we are reassured that he is in heaven with Jesus, where we will see him again.

In lieu of flowers, please direct memorials to Main Street Living or the Matt Hagny No-Till Scholarship Foundation.

Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Philip’s arrangements.