Arthur Ainsworth Hagen

Arthur Ainsworth Hagen, 92, passed away peacefully on Friday February 6, in Tallahassee, FL with his 4 daughters by his side. Ainsworth was born October 9, 1933, in Hot Springs, South Dakota, where he grew up. He attended the University of South Dakota where he earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree. While there he met the love of his life, Laurin Kirley (Hagen). They married in 1957 and soon after moved to Memphis, Tennessee where Ainsworth earned his PhD in Pharmacology at the University of Tennessee Medical Center (UTMC). Post-doctoral work took them to Salt Lake City, Utah, and Stockholm, Sweden, then they returned to Memphis in 1965 where Ainsworth accepted a faculty position at UTMC. In 1983 they returned to South Dakota when Ainsworth accepted the position of Chair of the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at the University of South Dakota. Through his career of teaching, research, and leadership, Ainsworth contributed to the development of generations of doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and other medical professionals. Along the way Ainsworth and Laurin had 4 daughters, and hosted 4 exchange student daughters. Outside of work and during retirement Ainsworth enjoyed making things with his hands, creating family treasures through his woodworking, and jewelry made with rocks he’d cut and polished. Ainsworth loved to travel, and over the past 10 years he took his daughters on several international trips. That time together is cherished with shared stories, new friends, and lifelong memories. Throughout his life Ainsworth’s love for the Black Hills never left him. Upon retiring in 1998 he and Laurin fulfilled their dream of returning there. Ainsworth loved having family and friends visit and being a ‘tour guide’ of his beloved Hills. He enjoyed meeting people from all over the world and treated everyone with welcoming kindness. He was quick with his big smile and happily tolerated silly teasing. His greatest joy in life was his family! He was a kind, generous, encouraging, and loving father, grandfather, and great- grandfather. As one grandchild put it, “Grandpa is a national treasure”! Ainsworth is preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Gussie Hagen, and his wife of 57 years, Laurin Kirley Hagen. He is survived by his 4 daughters: Kristen Hagen (Carl Schmertmann) of Tallahassee FL, Karol Hagen Pilkinton (Dale) of Culleoka, TN, Sandra Hagen of Winston-Salem, NC, and Sharon LaBrune (Allen) of Yardley, PA; 11 grandchildren: Eirik, Lara, Mark, Connor, Evan, Austin, Ashley, Elise, Kyndal, Johnathan, and Alyssa; 3 great grandchildren: Arlo, Josef, and Lucy Laurin; brother Charles Hagen; sister Kathy Parks; and many other loving family members and friends. He will be greatly missed, but we will cherish our memories and be forever grateful to God for blessing us with this beautiful man. In honor of Ainsworth, his family requests that any donations be made to: The Mammoth Site 1800 US Bypass PO Box 692 Hot Springs, SD 57747 mammothsite.org Big Bend Hospice Foundation 1723 Mahan Center Blvd Tallahassee, FL 32308 bigbendhospice.org Mr. Hagen is in the care of Jackie Fulford and James Sircy. 850.610.4444

Arthur Ainsworth Hagen

October 9, 1933 - February 6, 2026