Ann Hagerhjelm

Ann Rowena Capps Hagerhjelm was born on February 13, 1943, in Port Gamble, WA, and she was eternally healed on October 26, 2022, at the age of 79 in Bossier City, LA, following a ten-plus year battle with Parkinson’s.

Ann grew up in Edgemont and Puyallup, Washington, with her parents Mike and Mabel Capps, her older brother, Wayne, and her younger sister, Alice. She enjoyed playing with Dolly Dingle paper dolls while visiting her cousin Ruby, reading, playing board games, and putting together puzzles. She was very active at Jovita Baptist Church in Puyallup, WA. Throughout her years at Fife High School, she was involved with the Fife Trojanettes, a service organization. She graduated high school in June of 1961.

Ann started her college education at Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and then two years later transferred to Western Washington State College and earned her Bachelor or Arts in Education in June of 1965. While she was there, she met her husband, Charles Hagerhjelm, at Northwest Baptist Church in Bellingham, WA. Ann taught second grade for one year in Mount Vernon before she and Charles were married on July 30, 1966, in Puyallup, WA. They immediately began their life as a military couple. Ann was a substitute teacher in Watertown, NY, and a first grade teacher in Selma, AL, in 1967-68.

Ann and Chuck spent over 26 years in the Air Force and moved throughout the United States and overseas to Germany. On more than one occasion, she held down the home front while Chuck was serving for a year in Vietnam and various other military assignments. On February 28, 1969, Ann and Charles became parents for the first time having their first child, Mark Andrew. David Eric followed shortly after on May 7, 1971, and Erin Denise on June 15, 1973.

Ann was an incredible Sunday school teacher, teaching elementary aged kids at every church in which they served across the country and in Germany. She also helped lead Good News Clubs, which helped share the Gospel with children, as part of Child Evangelism Fellowship. Children, evangelism, and fellowship describe Ann’s passions to share the Gospel with children perfectly.

Ann was also a talented homemaker, cook, baker, crafter, logic puzzle and sudoku solver, and especially skilled in taking care of her family well. She was also an avid reader, with Catherine Cookson and Francine Rivers being her favorite authors. And who would have guessed that in 1995 she would become an avid Seattle Mariner’s baseball fan? Much to the delight of her husband, Chuck.

Ann is preceded in death by her mother Mabel Richardson Capps and father Mike Capps.

Ann is survived by her husband of over 56 years, Charles “Chuck” Hagerhjelm, her son, Mark and wife Sherri Hagerhjelm of Bossier City, Louisiana, David and wife Christie Hagerhjelm of McKinney, TX, and Erin and husband Steven Blair of Caseyville, IL. Ann is also survived by nine grandchildren, Hannah Browning, Abigail Blachier, Emmaline Blair, Alexander Blair, Madeline Blair, Drew Hagerhjelm, Evan Hagerhjelm, Zach Hagerhjelm, and Matthew Hagerhjelm. Ann is also survived by her brother, Wayne Capps and spouse Marianne of Sumner, WA, her sister, Alice Downs and spouse Bert of Hoodsport, WA, and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

The Hagerhjelm family wishes to express sincere thanks to the staff of The Blake, Intensive Specialty Hospital in Bossier City, the staff of Louisiana Home Health, the staff of Willis-Knighton Medical Center and Dr. Timothy Nicholls for their care of Ann and Chuck.

Visitation will be on Sunday, October 30, at 3:30pm at First Baptist Church Haughton. There will also be a Memorial Reception on Friday, November 11, at 2:00pm at Northwest Baptist Church in Bellingham, WA. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, November 12, at 2:00pm at Olympic View Baptist Church in University Place, WA. Ann’s ashes will be interred at Bayview Cemetery in Bellingham, WA, at a date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to made to Child Evangelism Fellowship at www.cefoflouisiana.com.