DAVID BENJAMIN BAGLIEN

DAVID BENJAMIN BAGLIEN, BELOVED HUSBAND OF THE LATE BERNICE BAGLIEN PASSED AWAY TUESDAY, JANUARY 12, 2016. HE WAS BORN APRIL 21, 1926 IN RUGBY NORTH DAKOTA AND HAS CALLED TOCCOA HOME SINCE 1981. DAVE AND BERNICE WERE HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEARTS AND TRUE COMPANIONS FOR 70 YEARS. DURING THEIR 64 YEARS TOGETHER AS HUSBAND AND WIFE, DAVE AND BERNICE LIVED IN NORTH DAKOTA, MONTANA, WYOMING, THE FORMER AMERICAN CANAL ZONE IN PANAMA, AND TOCCOA GA.

DAVE IS A VETERAN OF WORLD WAR TWO AND THE KOREAN WAR.  HE SERVED AS A RADIOMAN ABOARD THE USS SEBEC AND PROUDLY WORE BATTLE STARS FOR THE OKINAWA CAMPAIGN AND BATTLE OF JAPAN.  DAVE RECEIVED HIS BACHELOR AND MASTERS DEGREES FROM NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY AND HAD A 29 YEAR CAREER AS A TEACHER, PRINCIPAL, COLLEGE PROFESSOR, AND COUNSELOR.  IN 1962, DAVE AND BERNICE MOVED TO THE PANAMA CANAL ZONE AND BEGAN A TWENTY YEAR ADVENTURE OF RAISING A FAMILY WITH A BLEND OF LIFE IN AMERICA AND LATIN AMERICA.  AFTER RETIRING TO TOCCOA, DAVE BECAME WELL KNOWN FOR HIS VOLUNTEER WORK THROUGH AARP TAX-AIDE HELPING PEOPLE PREPARE TAX RETURNS.  DAVE WAS A MEMBER OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF TOCCOA.  DAVE WAS ALSO AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF NARFE (RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES) AND REGULARLY ATTENDED MONTHLY MEETINGS LATE INTO 2015.  DAVE WAS ALWAYS READY TO TELL AN “OLE AND LENA” JOKE AS A WAY OF POKING FUN AT HIS OWN ANCESTRY AS A “STOIC” NORWEGIAN.  DAVE WAS A CALM AND GENTLE PRESENCE AND LIVED HIS LIFE FULLY AS A GOOD MAN.

HE IS SURVIVED BY DAUGHTERS LYNN HOFFER (HUSBAND ED), BETH WILLIAMS (HUSBAND CARL), AND JULIE BAGLIEN (HUSBAND GARY DAWSON), A SON JOEL BAGLIEN (WIFE JODI), A SISTER JANET BAKEN, TEN GRANDCHILDREN: JENNY ABSHER, ERIKA AND JON WILLIAMS, EVAN, ETHAN, ERIK, AND ESTON DAWSON-BAGLIEN, CLAIRE, MAYA, AND KOEN BAGLIEN, AND TWO GREAT-GRANDSONS ALEX ABSHER AND PRESLEY WILLIAMS. DAVE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS WIFE BERNICE BAGLIEN, PARENTS BENJAMIN AND JEANNETTE BAGLIEN, BROTHER ROGER BAGLIEN, AND SISTER BARBARA BAGLIEN MELHEIM.

FUNERAL SERVICES WILL BE 5:00 PM, SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2016, AT THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF TOCCOA WITH THE REV. DAVID KEISTER OFFICIATING. THE FAMILY WILL RECEIVE FRIENDS AT THE CHURCH FELLOWSHIP HALL ON SUNDAY STARTING AT 4:00 PM.  CREMATION HAS TAKEN PLACE. ACREE-DAVIS FUNERAL HOME IS IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS FOR DAVE BAGLIEN. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, MEMORIALS MAY BE MADE TO UNIVERSITY LUTHERAN CHURCH-ORGAN FUND, 1020 SOUTH HARRISON ROAD, EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN 48823 OR TO FOOD BANK OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA, 861 NEWTON BRIDGE ROAD, ATHENS, GEORGIA 30607 IN MEMORY OF DAVID BAGLIEN.  THE CREMAINS OF DAVE AND BERNICE BAGLIEN WILL BE INTERRED TOGETHER AT FORT SNELLING NATIONAL CEMETERY, MINNESOTA IN THE SPRING.

Acree-Davis Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements for Mr. David Baglien