`  NATHAN DANIEL HAGLER JULY 7, 1985            JUNE 6, 1999

This page is set up in honor of Nathan Hagler, who drowned while playing at Memorial Park in Chincoteague Virginia. The page will contain information on Nathan and items that will help young adults on their journey through life.  My Background My Interests My Pictures  Links to My Favorite Sites Words from my friends

THE CHINCOTEAGUE  CHURCH OF GOD HAS ESTABLISHED A SPECIAL FUND TO ASSIST THE FAMILY WITH  FUNERAL AND OTHER EXPENSES. DONATIONS MAY BE SENT TO:
 CHURCH OF GOD
BENEVOLENCE FUND
5252 WOODLAND DRIVE
CHINCOTEAGUE, VA 23336
Those of you who would like to contribute stories or ideas for this page.
Please email me at nathan@chincoteague.com

Obituary from The Chincoteague Beacon
                   Nathan Daniel Hagler, 13, a resident of Atlantic, died at Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Salisbury, Md., on Sunday, June 6, 1999.
                   Born in Virginia, Hagler was the son of Thomas K. and Barbara Gibson Hagler. He was a member of the Church of God and attended Lighthouse Christian Academy, where he was active in drama, choir, soccer, and basketball.
                   Funeral services were held at the Church of God on Wednesday, June 9, at 2 p.m. conducted by Rev. John Thorne. Interment was in
                   the John W. Taylor Memorial Cemetery, Temperanceville.
                   Other than his parents, Hagler is survived by a brother, Keith Hagler of Chincoteague; two sisters, Tomalea Hagler and Hannah Hagler,
                   both of Atlantic; grandparents, Ilene Green of Chincoteague, Roger Brown and Margaret Brown, and Robert B. Gibson Sr. and Gloria
                   Gibson, all of Clifton Forge, Va.; and several aunts and uncles. He was preceded in death by a grandfather, Orville Hagler.
                   Arrangements were made by Salyer Funeral Home, Chincoteague.

Words from my friends
Nathan Hagler left this earth on Sunday the 6th of June. His last day here was spent in church with his family and then playing with his friends. Nathan was a true blessing to those who knew him. He was one of those persons who touched everyone around him with his joyful nature and true love of people. He didn't have any enemies and was blessed with many friends. The time that I was blessed with knowing Nathan, I cannot remember one bad thought or thing that he did. He was truly a child of God. As my son said "He's probably up there surfing the clouds" and spreading his joy to those that are with him now.
I would like to thank the Chincoteague Rescue Squad and police for doing all that they could do and also all the others who helped at the park. When God calls, all we can do is listen and be thankful for the times we were blessed with the presence of those we love.
At the service for Nathan on Wednesday, at least 30 people were saved or rededicated their lives to the Lord. Tears of despair and sadness were changed to tears of joy. The doors of the Church are always open for those in need and there could be no better way to honor Nathan than to join us at church.
A scholarship fund will be started in Nathan's honor. Please contact the Lighthouse Christian Academy  at 757-336-2989 for more information.
Please pray for his family and thank the Lord for the blessings in your life, for we never know when they could be gone.
Thank You  from Keith, Marcia, Keithie and Jason

Time “Is”
When all seems so still Lord, you’re all that I can feel.
Time “is”- the loss of my son, it just doesn’t seem very real.
Time “is”- never having to imagine living through such grief, despair, but knowing through it all Dear Lord, you’ve always been right there.
Holding me, comforting me, and guiding me each step of the way.
Such an overwhelming desire to greet you, at the break of each new day.
Time “is”- like Abraham with Isaac when to him You did call,
“Would you lay down your son, a sacrifice for all?”
Time “is”- hoping like Abraham that you’d have an alternate plan;
And that when I opened up my eyes, the sacrifice instead would have been a ram.
But you’re the God of the stars and the sun, the water and the moon
Reminding people “just like us” you’ll be returning very soon.
Time “is”- to surrender my son, Nathan, (Psalm 116), who’s so precious in your sight.
Not contemplating with you Father, whether it’s wrong or whether it’s right,
For I know my dear Savior Jesus, he’s safe, secure in your hands.
When the angels descended down from Heaven, my little boy changed into a brave young man.
Time “is”- that you’ve allowed me to see spiritually Nathan’s not Thee, but another lamb chosen and sacrificed for many souls to reap the harvest of this small town.
Time “is”- his heart, his love, his faith in You, even the smile on his bright face;
Has brought many people, friends, family and loved ones, into the knowledge of your amazing grace.
Time “is”- thanking you dear Abba Father for the gift of my dear son,
And realizing through your son, how much work on Earth is yet to be done.
His life will remain a legacy, known as “Rev. Nay”,
His sermon he’s still preaching in our hearts each and every day.
Time “is”- that at the end of the pier at Memorial Park, you can hear his spirit  say-
“Confess with your mouth, believe in your heart, please listen I pray-
Call upon the name of the Lord, He’ll forgive you right away-
And when He comes into your life, without a doubt, you’ll know you’re saved.”
-Romans 10-
Written by Barbara Hagler for her son, Nathan, who is with Jesus, surfing the clouds.   6/26/99

PORTRAIT OF A YOUNG MAN

Nathan was one of the last people I ever expected to die. I grew up with him, his older sister is a close friend. He became one too. Next month he would have turned 14. Too young to die. I have rarely seen him without a smile on his face. The class clown. The last time I saw him I was subbing for mom in the high school class, and he put a tack in another boy's seat. He always made you smile, often made you laugh and occasionally you had an urge to strangle him. But somehow, you never could. He was just too adorable to kill. Light brown hair, blue eyes, and the biggest dimples you've ever seen. He was small, but had started his growth spurt. We expected him to pass 6 ft...and we didn't mean of dirt... He was called to be a preacher, he had a passion for God that put the rest of us to shame. He would have been a powerful preacher, somehow I think the devil knew that. That's why he chose Nathan. But while Satan could harm him, nothing could kill him. God has him now, and Satan can never touch him again. That is some comfort to those of us who grieve. I grieve for a man's life never lived, a wife never loved, children never born, a sermon never preached, and a smile that never stopped until now. I grieve for his lost radiance, the presence you felt as he bounced into the room, the all that he gave in playing, in winning, and I grieve knowing the joy he gave others can now only be brought by fond memories. I grieve for his family, his parents who have already had struggles this year, an older sister who loved him, a younger sister who  looked up to him, and an aunt who doted on him, who has already lost a daughter and now has lost a beloved nephew. I grieve for his friends, in the youth group and all over the church. Everyone knew him, everyone loved him. His smile was the bright spot in many people's day. His friends will miss him terribly, as they struggle to deal with a death that hits home. A death that never should have happened. Lastly, I grieve for myself, that I will never be able to look at him when he is great and say to others "I knew him.  I saw him grow into manhood and I am proud of him." But I am proud of him now. Proud of who he was, and how he was never ashamed of it. Proud that I knew him, if only for 13 years. Though his death is certainly not of great impact in the scheme of the world, it is of great impact in my life and in the lives of others. We love him, I love him and I shall never ever forget the young man with the dimples and big grin who taught me how to laugh when I fall, give life my all and never be ashamed of who I am. To you, my friends, I ask that you pray, that we may be comforted by these memories, strengthened by the knowledge that he is with the Savior he would have given his life to serve. Grieve for us, grieve with me as you read this portrait of a young man who will never have the chance to
grow up. Thank you my friends, I love you.
 Abbi
 

I know it wasn't you in that casket; and I know you won't return to us-but that we will go to be where you are one day.  It is my hope, however, that perhaps the Lord Himself, or a messenger angel, will convey these words I write to you.

THANK YOU, Nathan.   Thank you for being a true friend to our son when an accepting, funny, kind friend was the thing he needed most in this world. Thank you for coming over and sharing our table, and your wonderful spirit with us....for including even we adults in your world.  You have been that rare youth that could open himself up to, look square in the eye of , and hold a real conversation with an adult...and laugh at the same time.  You never forgot that all people are people...I never saw you treat anyone without friendliness.  You have been a rare and wonderful jewel in our lives, and I know the angels are rejoicing to have the privilege to dote on you right now!  I love you, Nathan.  I can't imagine that anyone could not.  What joy you brought into all of our lives!

Everybody here is gonna be okay.  You have such a giant family in the Body of Christ!  We'll look after your family-Jesus is keeping them so well right now...I know you already know that...you're privy to such information these days, aren't you?  Hey, did Jesus let you peek in on Nancy and see how great she was during the viewing?  Did you see how the youth group rallied together and came to terms with your leaving us?  Did you see the transformation in them from the beginning of that evening to the end of it? Nathan, I got a better view of God's grace that night, and I will never be the same.  Did you get to see the people who turned their lives over to Jesus yesterday?  How your favorite youth evangelist spoke the words so many already had in their hearts...it was really YOU preaching to us, urging folks to hand it all over to Jesus...and Nathan...did you see how they LISTENED?!  Wasn't it just wonderful?!  Incredible?!  ...Just what you wanted?!    Did you hear us as we sang one of your favorite songs at the very, very end...."Dancin' in the Joy"?  I could see you, then...dancing with the angels...rejoicing with them and those others who've gone on before us.  And our sorrow was turned to joy, Nathan.  Our weeping, our mourning, gave way to elation.  This truly was not for naught.  "Oh, death, where is thy sting?"

Surely, we will cry again for the place in our hearts that aches to be with you.  We cannot fully understand this loss with our puny little human minds.   But we trust Jesus and our Father's love and righteousness.  We know He has the BIG picture, and we're happy to leave it in His hands.  I know you're happy, and I'm so happy for you.  It's sorta like our Jamie getting married and moving to Canada.  I'm so thrilled she has someone who loves her and that she loves deeply, too.  I'm really ecstatic.  But that doesn't mean I won't hurt terribly when she leaves....miss her immensely....and that's how it is for all of us with you.

I can hardly wait to see you again, Nathan.  We'll all be dancin' in the joy together again very, very soon, won't we?

-Love you forever,
-"Mrs." Cindy            <><

As I sat the other day, just thinking of Nathan, alot of things came to mind. I remember meeting Nathan last summer when he and some other people from the Church of God came over to Tangier to visit. I took them into the church to just look around and it was when I really noticed that Nathan was there. I really didn't talk to him but I could see something special in him.When I moved to the Shore and began looking for a church that would help me grow, I came to the Church of God. As I walked through the doors that first time and saw all the youth, I felt so out of place. Maybe because I was older or different. But, he was the first youth to come up to me and say something. He was such a friendly person, I really do not consider him to be a boy, he was just a growing man of God. You could just look in his eyes and see the love of God working in him. He was truly a blessing to my soul as well as to alot of others in the church. I really wish I could have gotten to know him better but his smiling face will always be planted in my mind. I will always just try to be like him and let the love and joy of Jesus flow through me by actions and words as Nathan did, I will not understand why this happened and probably never will, but I look forward to the day that I go to heaven and see his smiling face waiting for us all to come and hug him. That, my friends is something that I will look forward to and will continue to look forward to as long as I am on this earth. I just pray that people, young and old, will learn to be like Nathan, not to be shy but to just go out and let the love and joy of Jesus flow through you like the air you breathe does. To the family and friends of Nathan, I am praying for you daily as well as alot of other people and we will continue to pray for you for as long as you need us. Please. if there is something that I can do, please contact me. The pastor knows how to contact me. God bless you all!!!!!
Yours in Christ,

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