Mass of Christian Burial for Edwin "Eddie" Hager age 89 of Timber Lake will be 10:00 AM Monday, October 16, 2017 at Holy Cross Catholic Church Timber Lake. Interment will be in the Timber Lake Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will be Sunday, October 15, 2017 beginning at 5:00 PM a vigil at 7:00 PM at the church. Eddie passed away Thursday, October 12, 2017 at Mobridge Regional Hospital.

Edwin Louis Hager was born on December 21,1927 to Joseph and Margaret (Baumgartner) Hager in Strasburg, ND. He was the tenth of thirteen children raised on the family farm near Strasburg.

In 1946 he was honorably discharged from the Army. On October 5, 1948 he married Hilda Voller at St. Peter & Paul's Catholic Church in Strasburg. They farmed on the Hager Family farm near Strasburg until 1953 and had four children while living there: Jane, Judy, Tony and Joe. They moved to Bismarck in 1954. In the fall of that same year they moved to a farm east of Isabel, SD and had two more children while living there: Jerry and Connie. After moving to the current family farm 5 miles west of Timber Lake in 1960, they had one more child Tom. This farm is where they always called home. They farmed, ranched, and milked cows. After Eddie and Hilda moved into town, son Joe took over the family farm where he continues to live. Eddie moved into the Timber Lake Manor after Hilda was moved into Mobridge Golden Age Center in 2007. She passed away in 2008. In 2014, Eddie moved into Mobridge Care Center and lived there until his passing.
Eddie was a self-taught harmonica player and his children fondly remember him playing polkas and waltzes. He had a talent of refinishing old furniture, stripping the old stains and paints, fixing broken pieces, then staining and varnishing to make old furniture come back to life. He was also a talented painter and this could be seen when he painted the inside of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Timber Lake and refinished the pews.

Hilda and Eddie's grandchildren were very special to them. Eddie would treat them to their favorite treats when they came to visit and would say silly things to them just to see how they would respond. He loved to tease them.

In their free time and in retirement years, Eddie and Hilda spent many hours playing pinochle with their good friends, John and Clarabelle Schweitzer and in later years with Kay Nash and Jo Bornong.

Eddie enjoyed farming. He especially liked to butcher and make sausage. Many friends would come to the farm so that he could help them make his smoked sausage. After moving into town, he spent time tending to his lawn and huge garden. He received many compliments for having the nicest lawn in town, and shared his bountiful produce with his children, grandchildren, neighbors, friends, and special friends at the Mobridge Care Center.

Eddie will be missed by his surviving children: Jane Ducheneaux, Eagle Butte, SD, Tony Hager, Coyanosa, TX, Joe (Arlette) Hager, Timber Lake, SD, Connie (Al) Schaner, Bismarck, ND, Tom (Charlene) Hager, Aberdeen, SD; 13 grandchildren: Stacey (Wayne) Nelson, Darren (DeeAnne) Ducheneaux, Tara Ducheneaux, Shelby Gray, Misty Holzer, Lyle Hager, Joey (Karisa) Hager, Marley (Jordan) Kunz, Shane Hager, Ann'D Hager, Kaylyn (Aaron) Price, Brittany Schaner, Ryan Schaner, Cole Hager, Cade Hager; 17 great-grandchildren: Aspen, Seth, Austin, Abbi, Alyssa, Aaron, Taylor, JC, Kalli, Jacob, Jaelyn, Garrett, Riley, Grace, Nolan, Sawyer, Ryder; brother Joe (Katie) Hager (Bismarck); sisters: Helen Bachmeier (Bismarck), Irene Heidrich (Strasburg) and Carol Herner (Wilton, ND).

Eddie was preceded in death by his beloved wife: Hilda of 59 ½ years; his parents; son: Jerry and daughter: Judy; brothers Andy and Pius Hager; sisters: Katie Welk, Julie Feist, Barbara Silbernagel, Mary Zacher, Alice Heidrich, Rose Hager.