MORRISONVILLE –Dr. Benjamin Sheldon (Shel) Hagar, 91, of Mason St., Morrisonville, passed away Thursday, October 5, 2023 after a brief illness.

He was born in New Kensington, PA on August 30, 1932 the son of Benjamin and Grace (Irwin) Hagar.

Dr. Hagar was a graduate of Plattsburgh High School in 1950, Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences in 1954 and Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1958.  He married the former Johanne Hahn on July 5, 1958 in Salt Point, NY.

Following his service as a US Army Veterinary Corps officer from 1959 to 1961, he returned to Plattsburgh where he established his veterinary practice, Champlain Valley Veterinary Services, and served the North Country for over 40 years.

While best known by many as the veterinarian who cared for their pets or farm animals, Shel had many other interests and hobbies involving the community and the outdoors, and impacted countless people locally, and literally around the world.

He and Johanne used to love hiking and camping with the Adirondack Mountain Club, motorcyle camping with Johanne's sister Jeanne and her husband Gil during several memorable trips around the Canadian Maritime provinces, and extensive RV camping across the southern United States.

A lifelong boater, Shel once built his own sailboat, owned and sailed a historic Idem-class sailboat with a like-minded group of friends, spent countless hours sailing on Lake Champlain and Chateaugay Lake in other boats across the years, and fishing at his winter home in Florida.

He was active in many community organizations such as singing in Cumberland Bay Barbershop Chorus, serving on the school boards for both Mount Assumption Institute and Peru Central School, mentoring young people with an interest in veterinary medicine, serving as host family for international students attending SUNY Plattsburgh, in addition to being a Boy Scout leader.

Shel was an avid pilot, and he and Johanne loved to fly his airplanes from the old Clinton County Airport, and from the grass airstrip on his farm in Morrisonville.  In addition to flying for business, often to Veterinary Association conferences, he attended many Experimental Aircraft Association fly-ins at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, sometimes camping out under the airplane wing with thousands of other aviation enthusiasts.

Dr. Hagar was well-respected in his professional capacity, and was sought out by the Holstein-Friesian Association of America to participate in their international program working to improve dairy herd practices in a number of countries in Europe, South America, and Asia. He would travel to the countries to lecture at their universities and ministries, and to work directly with their veterinarians to bring US knowledge and technology to their programs.

He is survived by his wife Johanne Hagar of Morrisonville; sons Benjamin and his wife Chantale Hagar of Cape Coral, FL, Peter and his wife Susan Hagar of Morrisonville, NY, David and his wife Irina Hagar of Morrisonville, NY, and William Hagar of Perryville, MD; grandchildren Gregory Hagar and his wife Tabitha Yousko of Wendell, NC, Dimitri Hagar and companion Allison Moore of Plattsburgh, NY, Jackson and Maxwell Hagar, Perryville, MD, Nicholas, Thomas and Maria Hagar of Morrisonville, NY; sister-in-law Carol Hagar of Indian Trails, NC; nieces Gretchen Schwartz and Lorelei Hahn; nephews Charly Hagar, Jimmy Hagar, Alec Halstead and Daniel Butts.

Sheldon was predeceased by his parents and his brother Charles.

Calling hours will be held Friday, October 13, 2023 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm at the R.W. Walker Funeral Home in Plattsburgh. A private burial will be at a later date.

In lieu of flowers the family encourages a donation to the Salvation Army or to a local north country charity.

To share a memory or condolence with the family, please visit www.rwwalkerfh.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the R.W. Walker Funeral Home, 69 Court Street, Plattsburgh, NY