Ronald Ramsay Hagg, BHS 1966 January 6, 1948 - March 22, 2024
Ron Hagg, of Arroyo Seco, New Mexico died Friday, March 22, 2024 following a sudden heart attack. There are four things that can be said of him before anything else: he was a good human, he was creative, he loved all animals, especially dogs, and he walked his talk.
Hagg was born in San Diego, California, to Bertrand and Elizabeth Hagg who predeceased him. He spent his formative years in Burbank, California. He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, his daughter, ; his son, his grandchildren, his nephews, and his beloved dog, Bailey. He is also survived by his many friends in Taos and elsewhere. Ron was known as a kind and good person, and there has been an outpouring of grief as the community reacts to this sudden loss.
Hagg attended Burbank High School, graduated in 1966 and went on to study at Humboldt State University. Eventually he became a writer and publisher. He published the Taos Rag, a local small magazine, between 2012 and 2016. He has written eight different novels, and his best known was turned into a screenplay and subsequently filmed; the movie is called "Escaping in Time" and can be viewed on YouTube. His novels are "Dreams of a New Day," "To Keep from Drowning," "Jesus of Kneeland," "In Too Deep," "Lost & Found," and "Crossing the Bridge." Hagg also wrote several short stories and plays. Hagg's creative endeavors also included photography, particularly animal portraits of both pets and wild creatures. His pictures of ravens are particularly noted for capturing the spirit of these intelligent birds.
In addition to his great love for Bailey, Hagg was a great advocate and friend to a shelter dog named Phineas, whom he visited every day, and would have adopted but for Bailey's health issues. No one has been more steadfast in showing love to this sweet dog. The community is still searching for a forever home for Phineas.
A life-long Democrat, Hagg was the type of person who rolled up his sleeves and did the work. Politics were more than just talk to him and he had the courage of his convictions. Hagg's activism extended to the human realm as well. He was a long-time volunteer at Shared Table and took it a step farther by pushing local officials to focus more on hunger and food insecurity in Taos. His friend, reports that, "As a result [of Hagg] the Town of Taos and Taos County officials are working cooperatively with local nonprofit food pantries and state and federal officials to increase food assistance resources in Taos County."
wrote of a near death experience as a child. In his words: "When I was around six years old my family was in a cabin on a mountain lake [Lake Arrowhead]. I got a very high fever. … When I was under this incredibly high fever I entered a gray void – fog like place. I was floating and started moving through the void going faster and faster. As I was doing this my body became smaller and smaller. I was losing my body. The best part was that I was in a complete state of bliss. I remember that in this dream state I was very disappointed when it ended. I did not want it to end." He continues as follows: "When I was nineteen, I read the Tibetan Book of the Dead and it stated that the before entering the new existence there would be a gray void like place. I was only six years old, so I didn't have any preconceived ideas about all of this. Maybe because of this experience I am not afraid of death at all."
He was at peace with the human condition, but the rest of us will miss him just the same.
From Ron's Find A Grave Memorial
