Obituary for Tristan da Cunha islander Donald Hagan, who passed away 15 November 2020, aged 84.

Obituary for Donald Hagan

By Dean Repetto and Anita Repetto

Donald Hagan on the Base with an Island Cock
Donald on the Base with an Island Cock
Donald David Hagan passed away on 15th November 2020 aged 84 years.

Donald was born on the 29th September 1936, and was the child of David and Elizabeth Hagan.

He married Joyce Swain on the 18th February 1960, and when the volcano erupted in 1961 they left the community, headed to England and stayed in Calshot, where he worked in a timber yard.

Their first daughter, Marion Collins (née Hagan), was born in Calshot.

They returned home to Tristan da Cunha in 1963 on the Bornholm and had three more daughters, Rosemary, Miranda and Debbie.

Donald was a caring and loving man who always put his family first, always smiling and cheerful - never a dull moment. When you asked him a question he always responded "ya!" (yes) to end the sentence.

He was a hard worker. He loved working in the potato crops and enjoyed his trips to Nightingale Island. He was a coxswain of one of the long boats, Stirling Castle. He also loved to go on the mountain for his sheep, setting off early in the morning and coming later that evening.

Fishing was a big part of his life. He was a keen fisherman, starting at the age of 15 with partner Benny Green. They first fished for lobster for Tristan Investment's at 'Big Beach' in dinghies. He later fished with his brother Piers Hagan. After Piers retired, he then went on to fish with Andrew Green. He continued to fish until he was 70 years of age and actually fished on his 70th birthday returning proudly to the harbour with the highest catch!

He will be sadly missed by all lucky enough to have known him, especially his wife Joyce, daughters Marion, Rosemary, Miranda, Debbie and son-in-law Darren, grandchildren Dean, Randall, Anne-Marie and Cameron.