Obituary of Reverend Donald W. Hagler

Reverend Dr. Donald Webster Hagler, age 50, of Gulfport, Mississippi, formerly of the Arguta Community of Dale County, Alabama, died Tuesday, July 12, 2005. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A. M. Friday, July 15, 2005 at Salem Baptist Church Cemetery with Reverend Harold Peters, Reverend William B. Easterling, and Reverend Forrest Weekley officiating, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. A memorial service will be held in Gulfport, Mississippi at a later date. Friends may come pay their respects in the Church Sanctuary from 10:00 A. M. Friday until service time. Reverend Hagler was born December 5, 1954 in Barbour County, Alabama to Lillie Grace Faulk Hagler and Arthur Porter Hagler. He was educated in the United States, Great Britain, and Switzerland. He held the following degrees: BS in Education, MS in Counseling and Human Development, Master of Divinity, Doctor of Ministry, MA in Ecclesiastical and Medieval History, and PhD in Comparative Religion. He served six years as a pastor in the Mississippi Annual Conference of United Methodist Churchs. He served for 28 years as a Baptist clergyman, including 20 years as a Chaplain in the United States Air Force. He has preached in Coventry Cathedral - England, Inverness Cathedral - Scotland, and Aalborg Cathedral - Denmark. He as lived as an adjunct professor at several colleges, teaching developmental and abnormal psychology and religion. He as an avid genealogist and historian. His awards and achievements are: He was,at one point, the youngest person to ever hold elective office in the State of Alabama, his brother now holds that distinction, Outstanding Young Man of America, Outstanding Personalities of the South, Served on numerous boards and agencies, especially in the area of Mental Health, Served as School Board Chairman for the Montgomery area federal schools, Served as President of the Religious Workers Association for the Republic of Panama, Received the International British - American Relations Award in 1992, Awarded Friend of Denmark Honors for philanthropic work in Greenland in 1996, He preached a command sermon for Queen Margarethe II of Denmark, and Board of Directors of Goodwill and Goodworks of South Mississippi, Habitat for Humanity, etc. He was preceded in death by his father, Arthur Porter Hagler, and one son, D. Paul Hagler, both of Dale County, Alabama. Reverend Hagler was a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, friend to all, champion of the oppressed. He was known for his sharp wit, colorful candor, and friendliness. Survivors include his wife, Reverend Michelle K. Bailey, Gulfport, Mississippi, two sons, Peter Jordan Hagler and Philip Christian Hagler, his mother, Grace Faulk Hagler, Ariton, Alabama, one sister, Diane Hagler-Miller, Panama City, Florida, and two brothers, David Hagler, Dothan, Alabama, and Dennis Hagler, Troy, Alabama. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his memory to the Mississippi United Methodist Foundation, P. O. Box 1986, Jackson, Mississippi 39215-1986, or to Salem Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, C/O Mr. Don Johnson, P. O. Box 196, Skipperville, Alabama 36374. Service Information