James "Jim" Lee MacGregor

James Lee MacGregor passed away on January 22, 2025. Born on Feb 27, 1937, in Jeffersonville, IN during the great 1937 flood of the Ohio River. Jim was the son of Herbert and Cornelia Weaver MacGregor, and had two brothers, Dan (deceased) and Brian.

Jim graduated from Flaget High School in Louisville, KY. He graduated from Bellarmine College in 1958 and earned a master’s degree from Indiana University in 1966. He married Barbara Bruce in 1959, and they had 4 children: Michael (Kathleen), Matthew (deceased) (May), Susan (Jay) and Robert (Michelle). They have ten grandchildren and 4 Great-grandchildren (with number 5 coming soon). Family was always especially important, and contacts with all had been maintained. He coached his three sons in football and track, and watched his daughter participate in softball and volleyball. The three sons graduated from Purdue University, and his daughter graduated from Indiana University. Jim became involved in education when he was eighteen as an assistant football coach at Providence High School. He continued to coach football and basketball and taught there seven years. In 1962 he was the first person hired at Chartrand High School (later renamed Roncalli) in Indianapolis, IN. He was Athletic Director, football and track coach, Dean of students, guidance counselor and social studies teacher. In 1969 he was hired at Brebeuf Preparatory School where he was Athletic Director, football, baseball, and later, track coach. In 1979 he signed up at Pike High School where he remained for the next 22 years. At Pike he was a football coach and guidance counselor. In 2001 he retired in Indiana and moved to Celebration, Florida, where he was a guidance counselor at Gateway High School in the Osceola School District. He later headed up a 1.2-million-dollar Federal Counselor Grant and finished his educational years at Celebration K-8 preparing students entering high school.

During the summers in Indiana, he became a Teamster and held a class A CDL license for 32 years. He became a committed runner for 20 years and completed eleven marathons, including the Boston Marathon. Sometimes the kids participated in marathons with him. He and Barb drove back to many of the home football games for the Colts as they held season tickets for 32 years. Often times he would meet up with his former students.

Jim loved his “kids at school.” Their needs were a priority for him, along with the forgotten minorities and those kids who were slow to learn. It was a constant fight to make sure all kids were enrolled in the appropriate course needed to prepare for high school. His passion for education earned him Teacher and Counselor of the year awards, both in Indiana and Florida. He was the first recipient of the “Award for Excellence in Creating a College-Going Culture for K-12 Students” by the National Office for School Counselor Advocacy of the College Board.

Upon retiring from the Osceola Schools, he drafted a book on counseling (not yet published). He enjoyed his retirement years playing golf at Disney and Celebration and sitting on the front porch watching all the fun activities at the Pavillion.

Celebration of Life for Jim MacGregor

June 7, 2025

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Sun King Barrel Hall

115 N. College Ave.

Indianapolis, IN 46202

Please let us know if you will be attending so that we can plan ahead for food & beverages!

RSVP Link: www.macg-rsvp.com