Richard `Dick` Lagergren

OBITUARY: Richard ?Dick? Lagergren Memorial services for Richard ?Dick? Lagergren will be at 4:00PM on Saturday, April 22, 2006 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Rochester with Reverend Dr. James Heining officiating. April Clausen will provide the music. Burial will take place later at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Sauk Rapids, MN. Dick, age 62, died on Thursday, April 13, 2006 at Rochester Methodist Hospital following a courageous battle with brain cancer. He was born Richard Edward Lagergren, on January 27, 1944, in Thief River Falls, MN to Edward and Louise (Leifsen) Lagergren. He attended schools in Middle River, Foley and Howard Lake, MN and graduated from Howard Lake High School. Dick attended Dunwoody Technical College in Minneapolis where he studied mechanical drafting and design. He started working for IBM in June 1964 before entering the United States Army Reserves. Following his honorable discharge, Dick returned to Rochester with IBM and was granted numerous patents in mechanical design during his 30 years of service to them. He was married to Mary Ann Reek in Howard Lake on June 25, 1966 and the couple were blessed with three sons: Steven, Mark and Aaron. They were later divorced. On March 1, 2002, Dick married Ginger Hanson Taff in Rochester at Redeemer Lutheran Church. Ginger brought three more children to the family: daughter, Tanja, and sons, Tony and Jeremy. The couple lived in the Rochester area and, following his retirement from IBM, Dick worked 5 years for Western Digital (1995-2000) and then as a self-employed consulting designer. He built their home in rural Rochester from the ground up and took special pride in his woodworking abilities. Dick and Ginger did many hours of volunteer work for Redeemer Lutheran Church in their recent building expansion project including the making and installation of the cabinets, wood flooring and communion rails. He was an active member of Redeemer Lutheran Church and served on numerous boards. He was also a supporter of the Boys Scouts, a Master Woodworker, and an avid sportsman. Dick is survived by his wife, Ginger, and his father, Edward Lagergren, both of Rochester, MN; five sons: Steven (Dawn) Lagergren, of Litchfield, MN, Mark (Jessica) Lagergren, of Columbus, OH, Aaron (Kiley) Lagergren, of Rochester, MN, Tony (Kim) Taff, of Little Falls, MN, Jeremy Taff, of Rochester, MN; one daughter, Tanja (Fabio) Morello, of Rochester, MN; nine grandchildren: Nora and Holly Lagergren, Anna and Mae Lagergren, Teagen and Hayden Lagergren, Amy and Scott Green and Katie Morello; one sister, Jo (Dale) Weber, of Rochester, MN. He was preceded in death by his mother, Louise and one granddaughter, Hannah Dawn Lagergren. Visitation will be from 3-4PM on Saturday at the church. Memorials are preferred to the Redeemer Lutheran Church or to Mayo Cancer Research.