James I. Hegarty, Jr.

Maj. James Ignatius Hegarty, Jr., US Army, (Ret.) (Jim) passed away on Tuesday, December 1, 2015 in San Antonio, Texas. He was born on June 16, 1924, in Charlestown, Massachusetts to James I. and Margaret Hegarty. He joined the US Army in January 1943 and served in combat in France and Germany. He was wounded twice, recieving two purple hearts and two bronze stars for his service. He met the love of his life, Ivy Janet Fitzroy, in December 1944 when he bumped into her in an English pea soup fog and insisted on walking her home. They were married September 6, 1946, in Metz, France and honeymooned in Paris. (Jim and Ivy were married for more than 68 years until her passing in April 2015.) He contiued his enlistment, rising to the rank of Master Sargeant, and remained stationed in Germany until 1952 when he received a direct commission to 2nd Lt. After brief training in Field Artillery, he was sent to Korea where he again saw combat. After Korea he was assigned as an instructor at the Artillery School at FT. Sill, OK. In 1956 he was assigned to Germany with Ivy and his sons, remaining there until 1960 when he was assigned to his final post in 4th Army HQ at Ft Sam Houston. He retired in 1963 with the rank of Major.

After the military, he studied at St. Mary's University, receiving a teaching certificate and BA in 1966 and a Masters Degree in 1971. He taught history and social studies at Brackenridge High School, Horace Mann Middle School and Thomas Jefferson High School until his final retirement in 1987.

Jim and Ivy loved to travel and spent their golden years seeing every continent except Antarctica. Three or four tours and cruises per year were their norm until health reasons slowed them down in 2010.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Paul Hegarty, Richard Hegarty and John Hegarty and his beloved wife, Ivy Janet Hegarty. Jim is survived by his sons, James I. Hegarty IV and Michael John Hegarty; grandchildren, Jamie Elizabeth Schwettmann, James I. Hegarty V and wife, Eunsook Kim Hegarty; great-granddaughter, Leah Kim Hegarty; brothers, Gerald Hegarty and Dennis Hegarty; and sister, Peggy Andersen.

The family will receive friends from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, December 9, 2015 at Porter Loring Mortuary North.

MASS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2015

9:30 AM

HOLY TRINITY CATHOLIC CHURCH

20523 Huebner Road

Monsignor Douglas Fater will officiate. Interment will follow in Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery.