James Charles Haggart, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and friend passed away Feb. 23, 2023, at his home in Stansbury Park surrounded by family after a short illness. He was 69.
Born Nov. 7, 1953, in Jersey City, New Jersey, to Margaret and James R. Haggart he was raised in an Air Force family. After high school, Jim proudly served his country in the Air Force Command and Control for seven years and was honorably discharged. At the University of Arizona, Jim earned a BS and MS in sports psychology and found his running partner for life. Marie and Jim married in 1989. In Tucson, he then worked as a crisis counselor. In Illinois and now in Utah for 21 years, Jim worked in a variety of fields: homemaker, teacher, triathlete coach, and personal trainer. He also found time to coach Ash in baseball and football. He was best known to the athletes as Coach Pain and very proud of that title.
His true passions included competing in countless marathons and triathlons, along with training and competing in Ironman — of which he proudly finished seven. He was also very supportive of new triathletes and shared his knowledge and love of the sport with a myriad of others. He was a frequent volunteer at the Stansbury Days and Tooele City local triathlons.
He also served his church in multiple capacities: altar boy, lector, eucharistic minister, and president of the parish council, while also assisting at crisis pregnancy centers.
For 20 years Jim and Marie have supported the Bernard Lyles program: Tri-Masters Sports Initiative Program, which helps create a safe haven for inner-city Chicago students. Jim was also a voracious reader and lover of history, politics and social justice. He was loving, loyal, dependable and fun loving. He will be greatly missed.
Jim was a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan and Green Bay Packer cheesehead, who loved trying new microbrews, Star Trek, deer hunting, and a good joke.
He is survived by his loving wife of 33 years Marie Haggart MD; his children Nikki (Jason) Harvey, Colleen (Chris) Steward, and Ash Haggart; sister Patricia Schrank; grandchildren Zach, Alex, Tristan, Chloe, Clairwyn, and Calvin; great-grandchildren Elena, Mila, and Blossom.
Visitation will be held Thursday, March 16, 2023, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Tate Mortuary,110 S. Main St., Tooele, Utah. Funeral mass will be celebrated Friday, March 17, from 12 to 1 p.m., at St. Marguerite Catholic Church, 15 S. 7th St., Tooele, with luncheon to follow.
In lieu of flowers please consider donation in Jim’s name to Tri-Masters (tri-masters.net).
“Via Con Dios.”