Albert James Pagel

Albert James Pagel, known affectionately to his family and friends as "Al" or "Jim" was born on October 29, 1942, to Albert Ernst Pagel and Delores Jean Erickson, in Sparta, Wisconsin.

Jim traveled west with his parents and settled in Kearns, Utah, where he attended local schools. including Cyprus High, and graduated from Granger High School. He met and later married Marjorie Jean Dumm in May of 1967, with whom he had three children, Del Kinswoman, Kathleen Moore, and Albert Pagel. They divorced in 1980. Jim later met his life partner and best friend, Donna Joann, at a dance through a program called Parents without Partners and later married, joining Donna's family with his.

Al handled many different roles in his life to support his hobbies and family. He worked in the heart Cath lab at LDS Hospital as a lab technician. He was later employed at Hill Air Force Base in the ball-bearing department as a civilian contractor. Despite a genetic eye condition that eventually led to complete blindness, Al loved working on cars and taught his children basic car repair. He also loved talking on CB radios and for many years assisted commercial truck drivers in navigating the roads and highways of Salt Lake City. His love of music led him to collect a large library of vinyl records across various genres. Al also loved trains. He collected them for years, ran them around his home during holidays, and was even part of a local business called The Train Shoppe.

After retiring, Jim and Donna spent many years traveling around, enjoying life, seeing the country, and their grandkids. When health issues forced them to slow down, they settled down in Jim's childhood home.

Jim passed away peacefully on July 26, 2026, after a brief bout with pneumonia following surgery to correct a hernia. 

He is survived by his loving wife Donna, her children and grandchildren, also, his three children, 8 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Albert E Pagel, and Delores Jean Erickson. 

His viewing will be held at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church at 2654 Builders Dr. in Taylorsville, Utah, on Thursday, August 13, 2026, from 10:00 am to 10:45 am, followed by a service from 11:00 am to 11:45am. Graveside services will be at Memorial Redwood Mortuary and Cemetery, 6500 S Redwood Road in West Jordan, Utah, at 1:00 pm.