Marion (Borek) Hagens

Marion Hagens, 81, of Dillsburg, PA, passed away on Sunday afternoon, June 4, 2023 at Celebration Villa – Dillsburg, surrounded by her loving family.

      She was born July 25, 1941 in Syracuse, Onondaga County, New York, the daughter of the late Walter and Marguerite Eve Tysco Borek. As a child, she and her sister, Kathy got to experience many different places as they moved for her father's job with the Soil Conservation Service of the Department of Agriculture, including an extended stint in Puerto Rico that Marion remembered fondly.

      Marion graduated from Central Dauphin High School in 1959.  As a young woman she had various jobs including a Teletype Operator at Allegheny Airlines and a Telephone Operator at Harrisburg Hospital. She was married to Walter Hagens from 1967-1988 and had four children. While raising them as a stay-at-home mom in the 1970’s, Marion was approved for babysitting services. She babysat up to five additional kids most of the time, including twins, Dawn and Kathy, Johnny, and later Aaron.

      In 1979, the family moved to Dillsburg, and Marion became an active member of the Society of Farm Women of Dillsburg and was extremely active in the leadership of the Dillsburg 4H Club. When her kids were older, Marion worked many years at Hills Department Store in Camp Hill and later was a longtime cashier at Weis Markets – Bowmansdale. She was a proud breast cancer survivor and often raised funds for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life under the team name, “Marion the Barbarian.”

     Perhaps her greatest role was that of a devoted mother. She was often up late at night, baking goodies for school events.  She packed lunches with love notes written on napkins and served as a chauffeur for countless hours shuttling to sports and band practices, and theatre rehearsals, all while working full-time. She loved music and musicals and passed on that love to her children. She was her children’s biggest fan, and she always signed her notes and cards, “Lots of mushy love, Mom.” She will be remembered for her great capacity to love, her fierce survivor spirit, and her playful, saucy sense of humor.

      She is survived by her loving and devoted children: Thomas J. Hagens, of Dillsburg; Tonya J. Mattis (Ian Mattis), of Camp Hill; Tina J. Wallace (Matt Wallace), of Louisville, KY, and Timothy J. Hagens (Mary Hagens), of Exeter, MO. Her sister, Kathleen Borek, of Spokane, WA and nieces Susan, Kathleen, and Lorraine.  Her five grandchildren Amy, Joanna, Nick, Elizabeth, and Andy and two great-grandchildren, Cora and Henry. 

     A memorial service will be held Saturday, August 12th, 2023 at 4:00 PM at Pleasant View Farm at The Stables (315 Pleasant View Rd, New Cumberland, PA 17070).  After the service, the family invites you to stay for a light repast as we remember and reminisce.  Please RSVP to wallace@derbydinner.com if you are able to join us.  

     In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Penn Memory Center, an Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at University of Pennsylvania, in memory of Marion. By mail to: Penn Medicine Development, Attn: Penn Memory Center, 3535 Market Street, Suite 750, Philadelphia, PA 19104 or  https://giving.apps.upenn.edu/fund?program=MC&fund=601588.