Born on January 15, 1939 in Philadelphia, PA. John was the son of William and Rose Hagerty and younger brother to Bill. After graduating from St. Joseph's University, he earned his MBA at The Wharton School of Business at The University of Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and proudly served in the Marine Corps Reserve for six years.
Family was very important to him. He was a devoted husband, father, and Pop-Pop. John is survived by his wife of 64 years, Betty. His children: Eileen (Ed), John, Kathleen, Maureen, and Michael. His grandchildren: Sean, Elizabeth, Teague, McCabe, John, and Jacob. Great-grandsons: Aiden and Mason. In addition to his big extended family of brothers-in-laws, sisters-in-laws, and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother.
After 38 years in Marketing with ExxonMobil (formerly Humble Oil), Dad retired and embraced a love of golf at Wildwood Green Golf Club, where he achieved his one and only hole-in-one. Beyond golf, Dad was an avid sports fan who faithfully cheered for the Tar Heels, Phillies, and Eagles. He and Mom enjoyed traveling together throughout their lives, but some of his fondest memories were made during the family's annual beach trips to Surfside Beach, South Carolina.
Dad was of a generation that held family, faith, and country close to heart. He lived those values every day, not through grand gestures, but in the quiet way he lived his life.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in North Raleigh, on November 12, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. The family will receive friends beginning at noon. The Mass will be livestreamed, to join, use the 'Join Livestream' link in the services box below.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dad's memory may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project or the Make-A-Wish Foundation, by using the links below, under 'Donations'.
Our family is deeply grateful to the compassionate team at Hospice for the kindness, care, and support they provided Dad during his final days. Their dedication to keeping him comfortable and free from pain brought us great peace of mind, and we will always be thankful for the dignity and comfort they gave him.
If you would like to leave a favorite memory / story of John, or a message of condolence for his family, you may do so below, within 'Add a Memory.'
