Chester Lagod
Chester Joseph Lagod, 85, of Chattanooga died peacefully on Friday, October 25, 2013, surrounded by his family. He lived a long, active and loving life.
Chester was the son of Joanna and Martin Lagod, who immigrated as Polish speaking orphans in the early 1900s. He and his two sisters, Wanda and Halina, were born in Fairpoint, a small mining town in eastern Ohio.
Chester was an exceptional athlete, in many sports. He was drafted to play professional baseball. But, his speed, size and skill as a football player allowed him to be the first of his family to graduate from college. He attended the University of Chattanooga, where he met his wife, Martha Grandy and earned two time All America honors. He was later drafted and played for the New York Giants in the NFL. He was honored in 2003 as a member of UC/UTC's "All Century Football Team."
He was an avid golfer with a large group of local friends. He and Martha spent most of their time visiting and watching their grandchildren grow up. Some of their most favorite times were with the whole extended family in Kiawah, South Carolina. The beach was a special place for Chester and the entire family.
He married and is survived by his wife of 58 years, Martha Grandy Lagod and their three sons and spouses, Martin and Christine Entis Lagod of Atherton, Ca., Timothy and Lynn Lagod of Marietta Georgia and Randall and LaDonna Lagod of Marietta, Ga., and eight grandchildren, Stephanie Lagod of San Francisco, Cassandra Lagod of San Jose, Jake Lagod of San Diego, Zachary Lagod of New York, Sam Lagod of Charleston, Hannah Lagod, Chester Lagod and Cole Lagod of Marietta. He is also survived by his sister, Halina and her husband, Joseph of Fairpoint.
Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29, at OLPH. Interment will follow in the Chattanooga National Cemetery with military honors.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made in Chester's honor to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.
The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28, at Heritage Funeral Home, East Brainerd Road.
Chester Lagod