Lawrence Dagit Jr.

Lawrence “Larry” Clifford Dagit Jr., 86, of Brookline Station, Mo., passed from this life on June 11 in Springfield, Mo.  

Larry was born June 16, 1933, in Jefferson to Lawrence “L.C.” Clifford Dagit Sr. and Mildred “Millie” Arlene (Elliott) Dagit. Larry was raised by Rudolph and Josephine Dagit and his Aunt Gertrude Dagit.

He attended Jefferson public schools, where he was active in track and drama. Larry graduated from Jefferson High School in 1951. After high school, Larry worked as a surveyor for the Iowa State Highway District.

He proudly served his country in the United States Army during the Korean conflict, where he served at Fort Carson, Colo., as a personnel specialist and in Newfoundland in the 4th Field Artillery Battalion.

After the service, Larry furthered his education, graduating from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D., with a bachelor of arts in accounting/business administration, and from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a master’s in business administration.

Larry married Velma “Jean” Jacobson on Jan. 5, 1956, at the Lutheran Church in Scranton. This union blessed the couple with two daughters: Katherine “Kathie” and LaNae.

Larry and Jean shared more than 40 years together until her passing in 1996.

During his career, Larry worked in the public school system in Sioux Falls, Council Bluffs and in Wauwatosa, Wis., as well as Jefferson Community College in Hillsboro, Mo. Larry retired from Ozark Community College in Springfield, Mo. He was a member of American Legion and the Elks Club.  

Larry married Nawana “Sue” Pyeatt in Springfield, Mo., on March 13, 1997, and together they shared retirement and enjoyed spending time with family and friends. Larry enjoyed fishing locally and in Canada and Minnesota with his buddies, any yard work, feeding and watching the birds, drinking coffee with his exercise buddies, doing puzzles and serving as a greeter and usher at church.

He is preceded in death by his parents; grandparents; his first wife, Jean Dagit; his sister, Mary Lou; a brother, Frank Dagit; daughter-in-law, Vickie Trogdon; and granddaughter, Mari Lee Becker.

Larry is survived by his wife, Sue Dagit, of Brookline Station; his children, Katherine Happe and her husband, Lawrence Jr., of Overland Park, Mo.; and LaNae Becker and her husband, Bruce, of Troy, Mo.; Kelly Edwards and her husband, Tyler, of Ash Grove; John Trogdon and his partner, Regina Lansdown, of Springfield; Angela Gilbert and her husband, Lynn, of Springfield; grandchildren: Kayla (Happe) Pyle, Sarah Happe; Katie (Edwards) Jump and Marissa (Gilbert) Clines; great-grandchildren: Luca Pyle, Madison Grube, Khloe Clines and Korbin Clines; siblings: Cynthia (Dagit) Bell, Frank Dagit, Mary Lou Dagit, William “Bill” Dagit, Connie (Dagit) Edgerton, John Dagit, Robert “Bob” Dagit, Byron Dagit and Thomas “Tom” Dagit; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.

Visitation will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. June 18 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 2852 S. Dayton Ave., in Springfield, Mo., with a funeral service to immediately follow with the Rev. Stephen Moser officiating. 

A second visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 23 at the Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home in Jefferson. A service will immediately follow at 1 p.m.

Larry will be laid to rest in the Jefferson Cemetery following the service.

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Jefferson, IA 50129

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