Obituary: Collin Hagan

As received from Memorial Chapel Funeral and Cremation Service:

Collin James O. Hagan, 27, based out of Craig, CO, and resident of Twin Lakes passed away Wednesday, August 10, 2022, from injuries received while fighting the Big Swamp Fire on the Willamette National Forest near Oakridge, Oregon.

He was born on July 20, 1995, in Hancock, MI, the son of Shawn and Jeanmarie (Militello) Hagan. Collin was raised in Twin Lakes, MI. He attended the Elm River Township School and was a graduate of Jeffers High School with the class of 2013. He then attended Gogebic Community College in Ironwood, MI graduating with an Associate of Applied Science and completed his Bachelor of Science in Forestry at Michigan Technological University (MTU) in Houghton, MI.

Throughout his college years Collin gained forestry field experience as an intern with Compass Land Consultants, Inc. where he practiced in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Upon graduation from MTU, Collin followed his passion for wildland firefighting and worked for two seasons at Grayback Forestry in LaGrande, OR. His career next brought him to the Flat Head National Forest in Congdon, MT where he worked two seasons on a Type 2 Crew for the United States Forest Service. His aspirations to become a Hot Shot firefighter came true this season when he became employed with the Bureau of Land Management on the Craig Interagency Hotshot Crew based in Craig, CO.

Collin was a life-long member of the Holy Family Catholic Church in South Range. Growing up he was active with the local 4-H Club, Copper Country Junior Hockey, and was a member of the Jeffers High School Hockey and Cross Country Teams. He was a skateboard enthusiast, an avid hunting and fishing outdoorsman, who loved to hike, camp and explore the wild reaches of the woods. Collin always took his health seriously and worked daily during the off-season to improve his strength and endurance. He was a serious man when it came to the chain saw. Certified and skilled in the art of felling trees of all sizes. He had worked his way up the ranks to the number one sawman for a season. He enjoyed assisting others in learning the trade as well.

He was always known by his family and friends as a very kind and compassionate man that never sweated the small stuff. Always thought of others first. His somewhat quiet demeanor could fool someone yet he had a remarkable sense of humor that will forever be remembered. Collin truly enjoyed being in the woods and spending time at the lake.

Preceding him in death; his paternal grandfather James Hagan and his maternal grandparents, Felix and Marguerite Militello, his uncles: James Militello, Julius Remenar and his aunt; Melissa DeRoucher.

Surviving are:
His father: Shawn Hagan of Lake Gerald
His mother: Jeanmarie Militello Hagan of Chassell
His sister: Emily (Jared) Johnson of Lake Gerald
His paternal grandmother: Mary Catherine Hagan of Harrison Township
His God parents: Shannon Osad and Bill Osad, Jim and Rosemarie Spencer
Numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, fellow wildland firefighting brothers and sisters and many, many friends

A Mass of Christian Burial for Collin will be held 11:00 am Friday, August 19, 2022, at the Holy Family Catholic Church of South Range, with Fr. John Martignon to officiate. Burial will be in the Woodland Cemetery of Winona, MI.

Friends may call on Thursday, August 18, 2022, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service – Mountain View Chapel of South Range and on Friday from 9:00 am until 10:45 am at the Holy Family Catholic Church of South Range.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to the following:

The Wildland Firefighters Foundation at:
https://wff.givecloud.co/products/DONATE-QUICK/donatetoday

The Collin Hagan Forestry Scholarship at:
https://adamstownshipschools.org/district-foundation-donate.php

For further information please visit: www.memorialchapel.net.