Laura M. Hager

Laura M. Hager of New Britain Borough passed away Wednesday April 26, 2017 at Buckingham Valley Rehab & Nursing. Born January 22, 1923 in Somers Point, NJ, she was the daughter of John Q.A. & Mary (Barrett) Gaskill.

As a young person, she studied and performed in both voice and pipe organ. After a short stay in Los Angeles where she worked at California Bank she returned to home. In 1954, Laura married Donald E. Hager of Doylestown and they moved to New Britain two years later.

Her interests soon changed from music to art and she became a Professional Artist. Laura served on three separate occasions as President of the Doylestown Art League, once as President of the Mid-Atlantic Porcelain Art Teachers of Philadelphia and took a turn as Director of the Upstairs Gallery of Peddler's Village where she was a member for over twenty years.

For a number of years, her painted pins and thimbles were sold nationwide by mail order houses. They were advertised in national magazines including "House Beautiful", "Better Homes and Gardens" and "Yankee". Her designs were sold worldwide to numerous countries including Denmark, Tasmania and New Zealand.

Besides art, Laura was a genealogist and published books about her various ancestors. She served for four years as president of the Bucks County Genealogical Society. Laura's earliest ancestor to arrive in this country was Governor John Endicott who landed in Salem, MA in 1628. Her research took her back many generations to Alfred the Great, Charlemagne and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

She was a member of the Doylestown Art League, Mid Atlantic Porcelain Artist & Teachers, International Porcelain Artist & Teachers, World Organization of China Painters, International Reed Organ Society , Descendants of the Founders of New Jersey, Descendants of Early Quakers, The Huguenot Society, Daughters of the American Colonist, Colonial Daughters of the 17 ^th Century, Daughters of the American Revolution, Bucks County Genealogical Society, New England Historical Genealogical Society and other local Historical & Genealogical Societies.

In 2004, Laura was predeceased by her husband of nearly fifty years Donald E. Hager. Also predeceasing her was her half- sisters Nellie Smith of Somers Point & Fords, NJ and Margarue Jones of Egg harbor, NJ.

Friends and relatives are invited to her graveside service, 1PM, May 5, 2017 at Beulah Cemetery, 238 Almshouse Rd., New Britain, PA. In lieu of flowers, donations in Laura's memory may be made to Doylestown Art League, Inc., PO Box 282, Doylestown, PA 18901.