STAFFORD — Colleen Hagerman, a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and last but not least, the cherished wife of Rocky Hagerman, who preceded her in death, passed away peacefully on Nov. 27, 2013, at her daughter’s home in Yachats, Ore. She battled a difficult yet courageous struggle with kidney disease. Colleen, more affectionately known as “Nan,” was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on Oct. 14, 1927.
Colleen loved to dance. One beautiful summer evening she was at a local dance and a young, good-looking American Navy man stationed in New Zealand during World War II, by the name of Rocky, asked her to dance. As was an increasingly common occurrence during the war, Colleen became a “war bride.” Rocky and Colleen were married on Sept. 9, 1944, in Auckland. After the birth of their first child Raymond in 1947, they decided to move to the United States in 1949, making Stafford, their first home where Nan quickly assimilated into the American cultural fabric. Colleen continued to enjoy dancing, playing bridge, keeping a nice home, and going to garage sales. But most importantly, she relished optimizing time with her emerging family. By 1952, Colleen and Rocky had two more children, Roger and Debbie, both of which were born in Stafford. Colleen had the excitement of moving to numerous regions within the United States due to her husband’s line of work; therefore, able to experience many different cultures throughout her lifetime. Colleen preferred a life that centered on family, and consequently, was very fortunate to enjoy being a stay-at-home Mom.
To mourn the loss of an extraordinary mother, and to commemorate a remarkable life, in conjunction with recognizing her husband, the late Rocky Hagerman, a remembrance will be held at 10:30 a.m. on June 21, at the Stafford Cemetery.

Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, June 13, 2014**