BERTHA LEE HAGAR

MUSCATINE, Iowa – Bertha Hagar, 87, passed away on Friday, July 3, 2026, at home.

Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. The Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.  Online Condolences: www.wittichfuneralhome.com

Bertha Lee Hagar was born on May 5, 1939, in Searcy, Arkansas. She was the youngest child of John D. Arnold and Gracie (Webb) Arnold. She attended Wilburn School in Wilburn, AR, and was a member of the Church of Christ. In 1956, she married Jarrell Lacey and later divorced.

In 1980, Bertha met and married Bob Hagar. As a rancher’s wife, she became heavily involved in FFA and 4-H. She volunteered at many banquets and county fairs with her husband, Bob. They worked tirelessly with the kids to teach them how to groom and show animals.

Bertha had a green thumb and enjoyed gardening. She enjoyed being a rancher’s wife and loved raising animals, she even had her very own pet cow named Lucy. Her favorite time of the year was spring, when they often had lots of new lambs that needed bottle feeding.

Spending time with her greatest joys, her grandchildren, was her favorite thing to do; entertaining them with coloring contests and watermelon seed spitting contests. She loved having her family and friends come to visit and playing cards, Bingo, visiting, and eating. Bertha was an amazing cook and was known for her cakes. Every fall they hosted a bonfire. She loved to feed everyone.

After Bob passed away, she moved home to Arkansas where she got to do more traveling and spending more time with friends and family. She loved going to Branson with her niece, Kathy.

In 2024, Bertha moved to Iowa to be with her daughter and grandchildren. She loved going to eat at the Family Restaurant (which she referred to as ‘The Santa Restaurant’) and going to Home Plate Diner to eat Mark’s Homeplate Special in booth #17.

She is survived by her daughter, Janell Rogers; grandchildren, Jason Dillinger, Sabra Rogers-Gibson (Gerard), Brittany Rogers (Harvey), and Adam Rogers; great grandchildren, Sabra, Noah, Jacob, Kristina, Khloe, DeShaun, Jacob, Garrett, and Cooper; and several beloved nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband; infant brother, Burton; and siblings, Burnis, Bill, Henry, Alene, Maxine, and Christine.