After a long and courageous fight, Ronald J. Haggerty, Sr. passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 22, 2018, surrounded by his loving family at the age of 79. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Joan Chanove Haggerty; his four sons, Brian (Dorothy), Keith (Dee Dee), Ronald, Jr. (Theresa), and Glenn (Melissa); grandchildren, Shawn (Jennifer), Rachel, Sarah, Patrick, Grace, Ronald III (Josh), Cate, and an expected great-grandson. Also survived by his sister, Ernestine (Teena) H. Doria (John), nephew Daniel and nieces Patti, Gina, Katie, Jenny, Darlene, Diane, and Darnell. Predeceased by his parents Raymond, Sr. and Veronica Migliore, and his brothers Raymond, Jr. (Bessie), Jack (Rose), John (Anna Mae), and sister Dianne (Sid).
Ronald was a native of New Orleans, LA and resident of St. Bernard Parish for 42 years until Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when he relocated to Orlando, FL.
He was a graduate of Francis T. Nicholls High School where he captained both the baseball and basketball teams and earned his Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from Tulane University. His Tulane baseball career, playing for Mel Parnell, was cut short due to an arm injury his freshman year. He was an avid Yankees fan and an original ticket holder for the New Orleans Saints. He held positions as an accountant for J.K. Byrne & Company and comptroller for Marks Isaacs, Ltd., programmer for the Boeing Company at the NASA Space Center at Michoud, LA where he worked on the Apollo program that lifted the first astronaut to walk on the moon (Neil Armstrong), systems analyst at the NASA Space Center in Houston, TX and La. Land & Exploration Co. Also, was co-owner of Athletic Arena Sporting Goods, H & R Accounting, and Gulf Islands Water Park.
He distinguished himself as a public official in St. Bernard Parish as an elected Police Juror (Councilman) and President of the St. Bernard Parish Police Jury, and held several positions with St. Bernard Parish Government, including Director of Parks and Recreation and the St. Bernard Cultural Center. He was a pack leader for the Cub Scouts and served as President for the Carolyn Park Boosters Assn. His greatest love was volunteer coaching hundreds of boys in Little League sports for over twenty years in baseball, basketball, football, and track and watching his grandchildren participate in athletic and other activities.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the St. Bernard Battered Women’s Program, Inc., 3010 Jean Lafitte Pkwy., Chalmette, LA 70043, or National Kidney Foundation, Inc., 30 E. 33rd St., NY, NY 10016 or have masses said in his memory. A memorial service will be held on Monday, April 2, 2018, at 11:00 am in the chapel at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 526 N. Park Avenue, Winter Park, FL. On Saturday, April 7, 2018, visitation will be held at the St. Bernard Memorial Funeral Home, 701 W. Virtue St., Chalmette, LA from 11:00 am till 1:00 pm followed by a Memorial Mass. Private burial to be held later.
To view and sign the Family Guestbook, please visit www.stbernardmemorial.com
