Dennis Hagan, 76, of Perkinsville, VT, died peacefully on March 24th at his home after a 7-year battle with MDS and Leukemia. He is survived by his wife, Susan, sisters Patti and Schellie, two children, Oliver and Ingrid, and five grandchildren.

Dennis was a beloved elementary school teacher in Springfield, VT who enjoyed a 43-year career teaching the 5th grade. He embraced a creative and student-centered approach to learning, and some of his more legendary lessons included the medieval fair, mudrack-Y contests, and sketching of budding twigs every spring. He was also at the forefront of helping his students discover computers. Students from the 1980s and 1990s will fondly remember time spent in the Park Street School computer lab playing Logo, Oregon Trail and Where In The World is Carmen San Diego?

His desk could get messy at times but one of his mentors, Althea Barstow, taught him that you can be disorganized, unpredictable, and wildly creative and successful at the same time. In his retirement speech he said that, "I'm so fortunate to have worked in a job I so enjoyed coming back to every day for 40+ years because teaching is about as close to Paradise as a working stiff could get!"

Dennis was an avid reader, writer, and lover of the arts. He was known for his razor sharp mind, and innate talent of prescribing the perfect book to anyone for their "must-read" list. Until his final days, he was still making book recommendations. He adored live theater, was an accomplished actor, and met his wife Susan at the Weston Playhouse in 1978 where they acted together as comic leads in the show, " How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying". He was particularly fond of Gilbert and Sullivan, and perhaps his most revered role was the modern major general in "Pirates of Penzance". He could recite every word of the play and took pleasure in embarrassing his children by spontaneously singing his favorite lines in public.

Dennis was an avid gardener and his legendary flower beds always put on a fantastic show. Days before his death, he was in the garden appreciating the first buds of springtime, and cursing the deer who dared to trespass on his property and eat his flowers.

Dennis was born in Walla Walla, Washington to Laverne and Paul Hagan. His father was employed by Pratt & Whitney Aircraft and his position required that he relocate the family to Yokohama, Japan in 1956. Throughout most of his youth, Dennis attended international boarding schools in Japan, Switzerland, and Italy and this upbringing helped him develop a deep appreciation for cultural exploration. He returned to the States after graduating from High School and received an BA in English Literature from Brown University and a Master's in Education from University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Most will remember Dennis as an intelligent and kind man with a huge heart. He was generous with his time and money, often volunteering at school events, working as a referee for his children's athletic teams, and more recently serving as a docent at the President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site in Plymouth, VT.

Dennis was a great conversationalist because he made everyone feel comfortable in his presence and was an excellent listener. He would never miss the opportunity to spend time with family and friends discussing the latest movies and books he had read. When he wasn't reading, he enjoyed hiking, cycling, snowshoeing, and skiing in the beautiful outdoors of Vermont.

When you are an educator in a small town in Vermont, you become a cornerstone of the community. Everyone in Springfield knew Dennis and he impacted countless lives both inside and outside the classroom. His family mourns the loss of a great man, husband and father, as does the greater Springfield community. May he rest in peace. A celebration of life is scheduled for 1pm on July 8th, 2023, at the Weathersfield Center Church and Meeting House.