Obituary for Jo Anne Hagen Jo Anne Hagen, 75, passed away unexpectedly on August 26, 2018, from a severe reaction to a prescribed antibiotic. Jo Anne was a resident of Fort Collins, CO. Jo Anne was born on May 9, 1943 in Marshalltown, IA to William and Elizabeth Petrone.
She graduated from Gilbert High School, Gilbert, IA in 1961, and married Ronald Hagen the same year. They were blessed with two sons, Michael and Eric. Jo Anne and Ron settled in Gilbert where Jo Anne served as town clerk for several years.
She and Ron were very active in their children’s school and sports activities. While continuing to work full-time at Hach Co. (where she started as a shipping clerk in 1980), and prompted by Ron’s worsening heart condition, Jo Anne started college classes at Simpson College. She graduated summa cum laude in 1991 with a B.A. degree in English, with a focus on horror literature.
From there she continued on to law school at Drake University. In December 1994, Jo Anne earned a J.D. degree with Honors from Drake. Hach Company promoted her to Chief Counsel in 1995.
Tragedy struck Jo Anne in 1987 when her youngest son Eric died. This was followed by the death of her husband Ron from a heart attack in 1996. In late 1999, Jo Anne started a new and exciting phase of her life in Windsor, CO, where she began what was to be a very successful private law practice, taking on David Melusky as partner in 2003.
She had many professional accomplishments, and was most proud of a Distinguished Award from the Colorado Supreme Court for her pro bono work. Jo Anne retired at the end of 2015, though she continued to use her talents and expertise to advise friends and family. In 2000, Jo Anne married the second love of her life, Dr. Kenneth Ogan, a former Hach colleague.
Together, they explored the world, from Mayan ruins in the Yucatan to prehistoric cave paintings in France, from the giant telescopes in Chile to the Orkney Islands of Scotland (a personal favorite of Jo Anne’s). No matter where they journeyed, they reveled in new experiences, uncovering history, savoring local delicacies, all with a good glass of wine. In addition to her many professional achievements, Jo Anne was a lover of culture both high and low.
In her youth she won the Mid-West Regional Metropolitan Opera contest. She loved classical music but was equally at home rocking to Tom Petty. She was a film buff who could expound on high art or grade B horror flicks with equal aplomb.
She knew and appreciated science but could also entertain the idea of ghosts and past lives. Having raised hunting dogs she loved all breeds, and had canine companions most of her adult life. No shrinking violet, she won the state of Iowa women’s contest for trap shooting.
She left an indelible impression on all who knew and loved her. We are sad that she has passed but our lives are richer for having shared them with her. Jo Anne was an exemplar of a life well-lived.
In addition to her husband Ken, Jo Anne is survived by her son Michael Hagen (Julie Waters) and grandchildren Jaret Hagen and Jennifer Hagen, and brother Kenneth Petrone (Sharon). She is also survived by her step-son Erik Ogan (Chiara). Celebration of Life services are being planned for later this year, in Fort Collins, CO and in Ames, IA.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Weld County Legal Services, Greeley, CO (weldcountylegalservices. wordpress.com), or to your local animal shelter.
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