Dave Hinton: After 66 years, Stagen believes his career detour came out right
Jan. 27—A life of children and education wasn't what Don Stagen originally had in mind for his life while growing up on a farm near Farmer City. Sixty-six years after joining the staff at Armstrong Township High School, he now believes things worked out for the best.
Stagen originally thought he would be able to farm 160 acres that a relative owned. That, however, fell through as did a plan to run a fuel truck.
What did pan out was enrolling in college to become an industrial arts teacher. His role eventually expanded to principal of the Armstrong school, and he never left.
The 88-year-old, who has worn many hats — most of them orange — at Armstrong, will be honored Feb. 6 during a presentation at an Armstrong boys basketball game for his years of service.
"Usually the school honors retirees during graduation ceremonies," granddaughter Kendra Milliken said. "But because he was so instrumental with the basketball team, we thought it would be better to honor him at a game."
Among Stagen's many roles was keeper of the team scorebook. Coaches came and coaches went, but Stagen remained. He kept the book for 15 coaches and was named to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame as a friend of the game.
These days, his involvement has primarily been driving a school bus, but he plans to give that up for good at the end of the current school year.
"I used to do it pretty near every day," Stagen said. "I was driving for Gifford, Armstrong High, Armstrong Grade and Potomac. They didn't have anybody to fill in hardly."
Stagen doesn't drive a bus much anymore, but he still gets around in his golf cart. He'll use the cart to head to basketball games — as a spectator, not a scorekeeper — and in his volunteer job with Partlow Cemetery. (Technically, it's not volunteer; he gets paid $100 a year.)
There's rarely a day goes by that he doesn't do some type of work for the cemetery, whether it's talking to people about plots or showing the personnel digging a grave where to dig.
He's meticulous about his job, too.
"I do something at the cemetery, the people who bring out the stones and vaults, they say nobody does what I do."
It involves the careful job he does to remove the sod in 1-foot squares and when the plot is filled back in, replacing it and adding about 200 gallons of water so it won't settle.
Stagen loves people, especially young people. And no one is more dear to him than his family.
"The last year when I retired from the high school, the seniors wanted me to give the speech at graduation," Stagen said, and family was the focus.
"My speech was about how important your parents are, your kids, grandkids, great-grandkids. I point out how their parents had taken care of them, and that's what you should live for."
Stagen has four great-grandchildren — ages, 4, 11, 12 and 15. They all enjoy riding with him in his golf cart, especially the 4-year-old, who wants great-grandpa to take him to see the chickens.
"He'll pick up grass and put it in with them. They love that," Stagen said.
The Stagens also had four foster children who lived with them.
Armstrong High Principal Darren Loschen, a 1988 Armstrong graduate, said while he never had Stagen for any classes, he could tell he had the students' best interests at heart.
"He was always looking to provide us opportunities," Loschen said. "I know it was a different time when I was here in the '80s. He was going to make sure you were going to do what you're supposed to do. Kept us in line."
Loschen was a member of student council, and he said Stagen "was always pushing us ... not to be afraid to try things."
Later, Loschen knew Stagen as the bus driver for the baseball teams Loschen coached.
He Stagen "has dedicated his life, in my opinion, to make sure that Armstrong High School has what it needs, and he's going to be here to help us if he can and he's able to."
To spend time with his sons, Randy, Rusty and Rick, Stagen took up go-kart racing with them in their younger days. Rusty, at age 63, still races them and is nationally recognized. Rick became interested in slot car racing and was one of the top finishers at a recent Chicago race.
The family still enjoys going to stock car races, whether in Fairbury or Ohio or Kentucky. Granddaughter Kendra went to her first race at 2 weeks of age and became involved in scoring stock car races.
Stagen said there were a few times he could have left Armstrong High, "but the board would come up with a different contract and give me a little more work and pay me more."
Another time he was planning to leave, but his family would have none of it. They didn't want to leave Armstrong.
He and his late wife, Mary, got married right after high school. He credits his wife for keeping him sane while helping at home while he put in long days.
Stagen earned a bachelor's degree from Illinois State University and later a master's degree from the University of Illinois. He helped turn around a failing industrial arts program at Armstrong High.
Stagen served as principal for 22 years and as athletic director for 15 years.
He retired from full-time high school work in 1992 but then began spending time behind the wheel of a school bus.
He is also active in Middlefork United Methodist Church, Potomac.
Stagen said he feels like he was being watched over when his original career preferences didn't pan out.
"I tell people God takes care of me," Stagen said. "So many things have happened over the years that makes me think He did."
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JONES HONORED FOR 65 YEARS
The average American works the same job for 4.8 years before moving on — either heading to greener pastures or being asked to vamoose.
That figure would seem foreign to Don Jones, who has worked for 65 years with the same company — Danville's Hyster-Yale Group.
If Jones had followed the national trend, he would have worked 13.5 jobs in that span.
The company recently honored Jones for his six and a half decades of work. He was presented a Trek Verve 2+ electric bike.
"It is something Don wanted so that he could travel farther and make it up the hills a little easier," said Tom Hasimoto, director of parts operation at the company's parts distribution center in Danville.
Jones is active and enjoys bike riding whenever possible.
His co-workers from second shift as well as several senior leaders from the company's HYG Americas Division were on hand for the presentation.
Jones was not available to talk to the press about his tenure.
"He's very modest about it," company spokesman Matt Arteaga said of Jones.
Prior to Jones' beginning work as a second-shift janitor, he held a couple of other positions with the company, including time in production when Hyster manufactured equipment at the Danville facility.
Hyster and Yale companies merged in 1989.
"It moved to another building, and this became a distribution center," Arteaga said.
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DANVILLE LIONS HEAR FROM VA OFFICIAL
Volunteer opportunities was the topic of a talk given to members of the Danville Lions Club at their January meeting.
Jamie Elson, VA Illiana voluntary services specialist, gave the talk.
Members of the club have done an assessment of opportunities they can provide to serve the community's needs.
Elson spoke with the Lions about how people can take advantage of volunteer opportunities at VA Illiana.
She presented an overview of ways to visit veterans, interacting with them, donating items to be given to them and other activities.
She said the greatest need is the food pantry.
Salute Week will be observed Feb. 12-16, when special efforts are made to honor veterans, including distributing Valentines to them.
There are other ways to reach out to veterans at VA Illiana, including visiting with them, driving them to appointments, hosting and serving a special lunch for them, assembling blessing bags, volunteering in the mail room volunteering with the coffee cart and donating food, clothing, gift cards and other items.
Contact Voluntary Services at 217-554-5709 for details on how to volunteer as an individual or a group.
USE FILE FOTO OF SICKLER
SICKLER HEADED TO NEW YORK CITY
Rod Sickler, owner and primary educator of the Rod Sickler Salon & Spa, Clutch Cuts and Images by Rod, will head to New York City for Fashion Week Feb. 9-14.
The Champaign native has been selected to judge a major hair couture event on opening night Feb. 9.
Sponsored by The Lab, the event will feature 18 of the world's top hair stylists as they present their inspirations for the runway.
Sickler is owner and president of IdHair North America, sharing his expertise and passion for stylists throughout the world. He has more than 44 years of experience as a stylist.
HONOR ROLL
On Saturdays, we tip our hats to academic award-winners from our area.
Submit information at dhinton@news-gazette.com.
PRESIDENTS LIST
Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) — Elisa Bossenbroek, Ginny Kirby, Champaign; Anna Caughey, Savoy; Josie Carmien, Philo
DEANS LISTS
University of Iowa (Iowa City) — Adena Paul, Homer; Abigail Warner, Tolono; Madeline DeCoste, Farmer City; Kyle Stone, Champaign
Heartland Community College (Normal) — Phoenix Bieber, Bobby Gaitros, Baylee Long, Tamara Pagel, Heather Whitlock, Brody Wilson, Clinton; Jordan Nagle, Gibson City; Danielle Black, Karlee Eastham, Ty Egan, Josephine Franklin, Kaylie Spratt, Kathryn Toohill, Cal Urycki, LeRoy; Luke Rudolph, Monticello; Anna Denault, Roberts; Samuel Ferguson, Savoy; Denise Pauli-Hester, Saybrook; Jamie Jones, Sibley; Nicole Asetre, White Heath
