Joe Gail Fagan, 100, passed away Sunday, December 20, 2015 at his home in De Leon.

A celebration of Joe's life was held Saturday, January 23, 2016, at 1:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, De Leon.

Joe was born March 5, 1915, in Stephenville, Texas to Minnie Lee Hancock Fagan and Richard Granville Fagan, the younger of two boys. He graduated from Stephenville High School.

He married Lura Allison on February 22, 1934, in Chickasha, Oklahoma. They moved to Harlingen, Texas where Joe worked until going back to school at Texas A&M College, graduating in 1942 with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He worked at Douglas Aircraft in California following graduation. He was eager to join the armed services but not allowed to do so due to his job designing aircraft for the war. He wrote to President Roosevelt requesting permission to join the service. This was granted and he served in Naval Intelligence in New York City and Washington DC before being transferred to Burma for the remainder of WWII.

After the war, Joe and Lura returned to California where he worked for Douglas Aircraft. They wanted to return to Texas so he took a job as a construction engineer in Big Spring, Texas in 1946. Their first child, Peter, was born in Big Spring. In 1948, they returned to A&M where Joe helped design the college golf course and joined the faculty as A&M's first golf professional and golf coach. They continued to grow their family adding son Paul and daughter Patrice.
In 1965, the family moved to Grand Prairie where Joe was the golf pro at the new city golf course. When Joe retired in 1974, he and Lura moved to their farm between Stephenville and Hico, where they lived until moving to Amarillo in 1980. They moved back to College Station in 1984, where they remained until moving to De Leon in 2003.

Joe was a Master Mason, member of Sul Ross Masonic Lodge in College Station, receiving his 50 year award at the age of 100. He was a member of the A&M United Methodist Church and attended the De Leon First United Methodist Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 79 years, Lura; his brother, Bruce; and two grandsons.

He is survived by his two sons, Peter (& Susie) and Paul (& Susie) and daughter, Patrice (& James) Morgan, all of De Leon, nine grandchildren and thirty-one great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Church or charity of your choice.