John Keith Hagen: 1976-2020

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John Keith Hagen, born February 29, 1976 in Edmonds Wash. Went home to be with the Lord November 12, 2020, at Providence Hospital, Centralia. John is preceded in death by his father, Keith Hagen, May 4, 1998.

John is survived by his mother, Lillian Harjo Austin; step father, Gilbert Austin; sister, Amy Marie Boswell; and brother-in-law, Brian Boswell; three step siblings, Danielle Carvajal, Jessica Austin, and Nathan Austin. On his father’s side he is survived by his grandmother, Beatrice Hagen along with his father’s brother, David Hagen and sister Leanne Brockman, and several cousins and second cousins. On his mother’s side he is preceded in death by his uncle, Kjell Harjo, and survived by his uncles, John, Knut and Hans; aunts, Liv and Solveig and many cousins and second cousins.

John graduated from Centralia High School in 1994. He attended Centralia College, Bates Technical College, and Puget Sound Community College. His love of the sea and all things seafaring inspired him to join the United States Coast Guard serving first in Sitka, Alaska on the USCGS Woodrush, and then in St. Petersburg, Fla., on the USCGC Venturous. He continued for several more years serving in the Coast Guard Reserves in Westport, Wash. He has worked for the United States Navy in Bremerton, Wash., as a crew member for Cruise West, for Foss Tug in Seattle and most recently for the Washington State Ferries. Throughout his maritime career he traveled all over the world; through the Panama Canal on a tugboat, to Sakhalin Island in Russia, throughout the Caribbean, and the South Pacific.

Johnny loved his family, and most especially his sister, Amy Boswell, her husband Brian and his cousin, Isaac Harjo. John would do anything he could to help anyone. He was a kind and generous person and would give generously to anyone in need. He was a musically gifted self-taught musician, and his preferred instrument was his guitar. He enjoyed all kinds of music from rock to classical and was modest about his accomplishments. He had a smile that would light up a room when he came in.

Special thanks to his uncle, John Harjo and aunt, Martha Harjo, who were Johnny’s rock through the good times and the bad. Also special thanks to Centralia Hospital’s palliative care team and to all the nurses and doctors who took such compassionate care of John. Their loving care was precious to see and gave us much comfort. Also special thanks to Pastor Luiz and Pastor John of Centralia Hospital who offered loving support and prayers for John as well as for Amy and I and John’s entire family. And to the harp player who came and played a special concert for John on her Irish Harp.

If you would like to remember John with a gift, remembrances should be made to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI)