M. C.”Brick” Hagins February 23, 1921 – August 6, 2013

Services will be held Tuesday, August 13th at 11:00 A.M. at Grunnagle Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Pet Friends, Hazel Hawkins Foundation, or a charity of their choice. Visit: www.grunnagle.com for condolences.
 Meredith C. “Brick” Hagins, 92, passed away at his home in the Santa Ana Valley on Tuesday August 6th. Brick was born in Missouri and moved to California during the “Dust Bowl” at the age of 14. Brick enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps after attending San Benito Junior College. He achieved the rank of First Lieutenant as pilot of a “B-17 Flying Fortress” in WWII. He was credited with 32 bombing missions over Europe, including a very stressful D-Day mission. After each mission he and his crew would return to the 92nd. Bomb Group in Pottington, England.
 After the war, he returned to San Benito County and began working for Sonny Paullus in his family turkey business. He later ventured into this risky business on his own in 1948. For sixty years he raised meat birds and then eventually grew turkeys for hatching eggs. By 2005 he was believed to be the last independent flock-owner in California doing this specialized form of turkey production.
 During the early seventies he co-founded the Ridgemark Golf and Country Club development with his good friend Sonny Paullus and a handful of others, most of whom were also turkey farmers. Hence, the nickname, “The Old Turkey Farm.” He also served on the school board of trustees at Tres Pinos School in the early 1970’s.
 Brick is survived by his wife of 65 years Carol Ann and his brother Donald Hagins. Children, Linda (Mitchell) Wright, Terry (Kerry) Hagins, Ross (Bette) Hagins, Susie (Rick) Zgragen, Donna, JoeAnne and Leslie Hagins. Grandchildren, Christine Goff, Mark Wright, Lindsay Bolin, Joshua Hagins, Jordan Farnsworth, Jason Hagins, Corinne Sanchez, Elyssa Hagins, Carol Beth Holthouse and Zachary Zgragen. He is also survived by 21 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
 He was predeceased by his father and mother Clovis and Audrey and sisters, Rosie Porter and Ilene Wiebe.