Marlborough – Joseph “Joe” V. Haggerty, 93, passed away peacefully Saturday morning, April 7, 2012, at home. He was the husband of 53 years of Priscilla M (Bradish) Haggerty, who died in 2001.
Born Oct. 31, 1918, and raised in Medford, he was the son of the late John P. and Mary E. (Fitzgerald) Haggerty and a graduate of Medford High School. He was a Marlborough resident for 58 years.
After he graduated from high school, Mr. Haggerty enrolled in the C.C.C. and was assigned to the forestry camp at Allentown, N.H., for 18 months. He helped create the Suncook State Park, fought fires, and planted thousands of pine trees and became Supply Captain.
Mr. Haggerty was a Navy veteran of World War II assigned to a patrol bombing squadron VPB13 (seaplane squadron), starting as Combat Air Crewman and moving to flight Engineer and Plane Captain on one of four, Coronado PB2Ys. He was assigned different flying missions – regular patrolling, transporting VIP's and high priority freight, anti-submarine, convoy escort, Dumbo Drop, and transporting wounded casualties. He was very proud to have been a Navy man and always said it was the best time of his life, but his desire for normal civilian life resulted in leaving the Navy after six years.
He attended Franklin Tech in Boston, earning a degree in Mechanical Design Engineering. With advanced standing he attended Northeastern University, taking the Industrial Engineering option, a BBA in Engineering and Management. He then earned his MBA in Management and Marketing.
Mr. Haggerty worked at Raytheon as a draftsman in specifications, progressing through design draftsman, mechanical design engineer to supervisor of the Tool Design section in the pre-production department. Upon receiving his MBA, he switched to the Marketing Department in Power Tube as contracts administrator, then to sales manager. After 14 years at Raytheon, he moved through jobs as sales engineer at Metal Bellows Corp. and Lead and Sr. Projects administrator at RCA, and finally spent 17 years as professor at Quinsigamond Community college in Worcester in the Business Administration Department, retiring in 1984.
He was an accomplished artist, taking courses at the Worcester Art Museum in oil, acrylic, water color, portrait, figure, and design. But, water color was his passion. He was the facilitator and coach of the Marlborough Senior Center Art Group for many years and a member of the Framingham Art Guild and the Hudson Art Alliance.
He is survived by his daughter, Carol A Willoughby of Southborough, who was his caregiver during his year-and-a-half courageous battle with congestive heart failure; his son, Michael J. Haggerty of Hudson, who visited him on a daily basis and assisted with his care; and son, Joseph T Haggerty of Woonsocket, R.I. He also leaves one sister. Mary E. McLaughlin of Lovell, Maine; three grandchildren, Ashley and Alyssa Willoughby of Southborough and Michael P Willoughby of Northborough; one great-granddaughter whom he adored, Skye Willoughby of Southborough; and many nieces and nephews. He also leaves his longtime friends, Frank and Yaja Kevit, Mary Iodice, Margaret Garafalo, and Peg Cahill, all of Marlborough. He was the brother of the late John F Haggerty and Henry DeAngelis.
A funeral service will be held Saturday, April 14, at 10 a.m., with Pastor Lee Atherton officiating, at the William R. Short and Son Funeral Home, 95 West Main St., Marlborough. Family and friends are also invited to attend visiting hours Friday, April 13, from 5 to 8 p.m.
Flowers may be sent or memorial donations made to CERT & MRC of Southborough, Inc., PO Box 685, Southborough, MA 01772 and Marlborough Hospital, attn: Ellen Carlucci, 157 Union St., Marlborough, MA 01752.
