Wallace J. Hager Jr.
(Friday, March 29, 2002)
LAWRENCE -- Wallace J. Hager Jr., son of Wallace and Monica Webb Hager, died Wednesday at Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport from lung cancer.
Mr. Hager was born in Lawrence and attended St. Rita's, St. Mary's and Lawrence High School.
Mr. Hager was a World War II veteran, having joined the Navy following Pearl Harbor. After boot camp training, he served aboard the USS Prairie for six months in the North Atlantic until his ship caught fire and the ammunition hold exploded. His ship then returned to its home port of Boston for repairs.
From there, he was sent to the South Pacific for the next three years, where he received several campaign medals. Among those medals are the American Theater Medal, Asiatic Pacific Theater Medal, Good Conduct Medal and Victory Medal.
Mr. Hager was a driver salesman for H.P. Hood & Son and manager of the Boston Herald home delivery for Merrimack Valley and was later appointed to the Lawrence Fire Department, where he retired with a disability 20 years later.
Mr. Hager was a member of the Firefighters Local 146, Massachusetts Perm Firefighters Association, Mutual Benefit Association, the VFW, DAV, post commander of American Legion, served on the board of directors of Challenge House at St. Basil's Seminary and active in other civic affairs.
He is survived by sons Patrick of Methuen, Wallace III of Lawrence and Gary of North Andover; daughter Marguerite Nelson of Bel Air, Md.; and several grandchildren.
There will be no calling hours. Friends and relatives are invited to attend a funeral Mass April 1 at 10 a.m. at St. Mary's Church in Lawrence. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery.
Donations may be sent to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place West, Sixth Floor, Brookline, MA 02445-7226.
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