Delano Christopher "Dee" Hapgood Sr.

Delano Christopher Hapgood, Sr.

“Dee”

Dee Hapgood, a most beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather, the Lord peacefully and quietly called him from this temporal earthly home to his glorious eternal Home in heaven on October 2, 2026, at the age of 92. He was born on February 5, 1934, in the small coal mining community of Hanna, Wyoming, where his family had deep roots. Dee was the sixth of eight children born to Alfred and Agnes (Saunders) Hapgood.

After graduating from Hanna High School in 1952, he honorably served in the United States Navy during the Korean Conflict. Upon returning from service, he pursued higher education, earning a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Wyoming. It was during his time at the university that he worked as a mail carrier and really caught the eye of his future bride, Darla, whom he had known for many years.

Dee and Darla were married on December 28th, 1961. Together they raised 4 children in the states of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico. Their home was always filled with love for one another, laughter at each other as well as at themselves, respect for each other, most importantly all God-centered.

After Dee received his degree he worked as the Credit Manager at Rawlins Memorial Hospital, Rawlins, Wyoming. 

As happens sometimes, politics changed his position with the hospital.

Dee's new job with Associates Loan Company as a “repo man” moved his young family of 5 at the time to an apartment in Loveland, Colorado. It was during this time that he took the FSEE (Federal Service Entrance Exam) hoping for a position with the Federal Government.

After a short time in Loveland, his family was transferred across the state to La Junta, Colorado.

In the summer of 1964, he was interviewed and was offered a civil service position with the Department of Defense at Dugway Proving Ground, UT. It was at Dugway where their 4th child was born.

His position with the DOD moved his family from Dugway to Yuma, AZ and a few years later to Las Cruces, NM where he retired from White Sands Missile Range in 1991.

Dee was a man of great integrity, dedication and of deep faith. Dee accepted and trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior and was baptized at First Baptist Church, Tooele, UT September 7, 1969. He joyfully and faithfully served the Lord for the remainder of his life.

He never missed church or Sunday School. He was ordained a deacon at Morningside Baptist Church in Yuma, AZ. He also served the Lord by going on different mission trips, Church Treasurer, Sunday School Director, and Church Training Director. For decades after Dee retired, he would meet other men at the church every Thursday morning and do whatever maintenance work needed to be done on the church property.

Dee was an avid sports enthusiast. He enjoyed playing golf and he bowled on a league team while living at Dugway. He loved watching golf, basketball and football on the television. A funny story we like to tell as a family was about the first Thanksgiving Day at Dugway 1964 spent with friends. While watching the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions (using an antenna and rabbit ears, and way before instant replay), the ball was in the air from a field goal kick to determine the final score and Mom turned on the hand mixer to make the mashed potatoes. A male chorus of “Darla!” rang through the house.

Dee collected clocks, which the grands and great-grands loved going through the house trying to count. Their home was filled with very unique harmonious sounds of chimes, cuckoos, music and birds on the hour and the rhythmic tick-tocks.

Dee was an avid reader. He had several favorite authors.

He loved it when his home was filled with family telling the same familiar stories and sharing new ones, sometimes laughing so hard the storyteller had a hard time finishing and the listeners had a hard time understanding.

Dee enjoyed listening to old gospel and country music. He loved going to church, worshipping in praise and hearing the gospel preached. He would sing the old hymns as he puttered around the house. There would even be times when you could hear him quoting memorized scripture as he puttered.

And, oh! the unique-to-the-bloodline “Hapgood laugh!”

Dee was a very humble man yet his humility commanded admiration and respect. He was gentle and quiet but very firm when wisdom called for it. He was a man whose eyes and voice reflected the warmth and sensitivity of his heart. His very presence will be dearly missed by all who have had the privilege of knowing him.

Dee's life was a tapestry of love, devotion, and service, woven together with threads of faith, family, and friendship. His life was simple and filled with contentedness and wisdom.

Dee was preceded in death by both of his parents; his brothers, Alfred, William, Harold, and Lyle; his sisters, Phyllis Hapgood Henningsen, Alice Hapgood Stiefvater, and Marilyn Hapgood Allen; his son, Chris; and his daughter, Allison.

He is survived by his cherished wife of 64 years, Darla Dee (Ogg) Hapgood, daughters Barbara Rasco (Billy), and RoiLynn Campbell (Carter), daughter-in-law, Martha, and son-in-law, Mike, grandchildren: Christopher, Meghan, Amber, Sean, Courtney, Andrew, Analisa, Jackson, Ryan, and Charles, 14 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren.

A memorial service to honor Dee's life will be held on November 10, 2026, at 2:00 PM at Calvary Baptist Church, located at 1800 S Locust St., Las Cruces, NM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests your thoughtful donations be made in Dee’s memory to Christian Challenge Summer Missions through Calvary Baptist Church, Las Cruces, NM.