Karl J. Hagedorn Jr.
Karl J. Hagedorn Jr.
November 28, 1942 ‐ September 18, 2022
Karl J. Hagedorn Jr., age 79. Passed away on September 18th 2022. Karl received a Master’s Degree from The Ohio State University. As a former horticulture teacher at Mentor High School for 24 years, he loved what he did! Karl was a true Buckeye, boater, fisherman, hunter, traveler and friend! Preceded in death by parents Frieda & Karl J. Hagedorn Sr. Dear father of Heidi Zargari (John), Karl S. Hagedorn (Kris), and Beth Ann Hagedorn. Loving grandfather to Lauren Miller (Adam), Sean Zargari (Alyssa), Ryan Steinicke, and Kalli Steinicke. Dear brother to Betty Schulz, Karen Minnick (John). Graveside service: Lakewood Park Cemetery Friday, Oct. 21, 2022 at 1:00 pm. ARRANGEMENTS BY JENKINS FUNERAL CHAPEL, 440-871-0711.
Guest Comments
Steve Couch
Mentor, Ohio
My condolences to Mr. Hagedorn's family. The Horticulture program at Mentor was an award-winning program that many remember fondly and wish were still a part of our school. Alas. I advise the school newspaper and just happened to come across an article on Mr. Hagedorn last week. We are running it again and am happy to share it with you :) https://mhscardinalnation.org/2802/news/mhs/from-the-archives-horticulture-students-place-greenery-in-school/
Jody Saxton
Bay Village OHIO
I first want to express my deepest condolences to the Hagedorn family.
Karl Hagedorn has a very special place in my heart and my life. I would not be where I am today had it not been for his caring and guidance as a teacher. I graduated from the horticulture program in 1979. I only joined the hort program because we moved to Mentor my junior year and I had a friend from Willoughby South who was in it, so I would be with a familiar face. I am grateful to this day for that decision.
Mr. Hagedorn truly cared about his students. He was almost like the dad I didn’t have in my life. He taught us so much about working hard, responsibility, attending to details, interacting with people (we sold our pointsettias, mums all over the community!), taking risks and having fun. He rarely got mad (until the time 7 of us cut morning classes to go to the park). Hagedorn busted our chops for that one.
He taught us how to work as a team when we competed and he was our coach. We always wanted to make him proud and I hope we did.
Mr. Hagedorn used to call me “sunshine” when I would arrive to class (as he was grinding his whole beans for his daily cup of coffee.) I truly felt he meant it and it would make me smile.
When it came time to start making decisions about after high school, everyone in our class was talking about heading off to college. Not me. I didn’t want to nor had the means to do so. I could have worked at Horton’s Garden Center forever. Hagedorn was not happy with that and told me “I am going to college.” He knew my mother didn’t have the money to send me nor was she about to sign off on a loan. Mr. Hagedorn co-signed my loan and helped me fill out the admissions packet. This is how it all started. He believed in me.
I went on to work at various horticultural firms and garden centers while working my way through school to become a teacher, principal and administrator.
Again, no other teacher has ever touched my life like Mr. Hagedorn. He will be deeply missed, but he has given me so much. Thank you Mr. Hagedorn. May your spirit reside in all the plants that surround us.