Salt Lake man, 85, spent retirement substituting at East High — his alma mater

SALT LAKE CITY — When Thomas Hagerman retired from his job at Ford Motor Company, he knew he wanted to spend his retirement in the service of others. Not only that, but he had a key demographic in mind: Children.

For the past 15 years, Hagerman, 85, has worked in the Salt Lake City School District as a substitute teacher and with the Make-A-Wish Foundation as a wish granter. His daughter, Holly Hagerman, said spending his "resting" years serving others is indicative of the type of man her dad is.

"I am very proud of him," she said. "Seeing how happy it makes him to be around the youth has been so wonderful. … He wanted to immerse himself in the education and growth of young people because he loves being around them."

One of the groups of kids that Thomas Hagerman is spending time with is students at East High School — which just so happens to be his alma mater.

"I was born and raised in Salt Lake City," he said. "My parents lived on 13th South and 17th East, and I graduated from East High School in 1956."

Thomas Hagerman said that while the school is not the same building as when he went to school, it has been good for him to be on the same grounds that formed him into the person he is today. He also said that he has seen many positive changes at East High School over the years, with one standing out above the rest — a diverse student body.

"The makeup of the school in terms of students has changed a lot," he said. "I'm not sure how many different native languages are spoken at East High School, but it's a lot. There are at least a half-dozen different languages represented among the students at East."

He acknowledged that as a substitute teacher, his influence isn't as large as the everyday teachers', but he tries to leave the students he teaches with a lasting thought.

"When I sub at the high school, I've got a tradition where I write a thought for the day," he said. "There have been times when I have forgotten to write a thought, and the students will remind me. Some will even clap when I put it on the board because they look forward to it, so that's kind of neat. One of my very favorites and the kids' favorites at East High School is a quote (that has been often attributed to) Winston Churchill that says, 'Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.'"

The courage to continue is a main theme in many of the youth Thomas Hagarman serves. As a wish granter for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, he said that seeing firsthand the courage these children possess is something that inspires him.

"When I first came back (to Utah) after retiring from Ford in 2000, I started as a volunteer in the Make-A-Wish Foundation," he said. "Seeing the courage of each one of these children and their families has been one of the most rewarding things I have experienced."

Holly Hagerman said service has transformed her dad and even given him more life.

"Working in the schools and with Make-A-Wish has changed him completely," she said. "He loved hearing the stories of kids who are so full of courage and hope. Being around these students at East High and watching them go on to graduate and go to college, he's so impressed with them and fascinated by how good they are. I think that the biggest change I've watched him experience was seeing him go from this career-driven disciplinarian of hard work and raising his family and then into this completely different chapter of his life where he wants to help and serve the younger generation.

"I hope he knows that he's inspiring these students to know that you can have a purposeful life at any age."

Hagerman said that the verdict is still out as to whether or not he will continue substitute teaching next school year. For now, he said he's excited to send yet another graduating class on their way, armed with the courage to continue to their next chapter in life.

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