Dear Friends,
Thank you again for all of your love and good wishes for Jim and our family. Today we visited a place called Tippett Home in Needham, Massachusetts – just about 30 minutes drive west of Boston where we’ll be spending the next little while with Jim. It’s an “old school” hospice house, preserving the traditions and values of hospice in truly creating an environment of peace for the terminally ill and their families and friends. It’s rambling suburban county with big old estates and lots of woods – tranquil just to arrive there – and Tippet House must be one of the original places. There’s a big patio and garden, a comfortable living room but mostly an atmosphere of care and competence from a staff that has apparently not turned over in 5 years. What dedication! We move in on Saturday. I’ll add the address/directions to the ” visit Jim” section and we hope to see you all there. You can see pictures of the place on their website:
http://vnacarenetwork.org/services/tippett.html
Bye Bye for now!
April 4, 2008 at 5:13 pm |
Hi Nancy, Betsy, John and Jim – so very, very sorry to hear about this awful desease that’s turned all your lives around. Jim hired me and was my first boss at VITAS back in 1994. The interview took place in Peter Benjamin’s office, with 2 skeletons hanging in the room and the conversation covered everything from Catholisism to post Colonial Caribbean and not very much about hospice. Nevertheless, I was hired and am still here. Over the years we’ve talked on the phone and seen each other whenever he held his famous Sales Training Seminars at VITAS. Jim holds a very special place in the hearts of every single VITAS staff member who has ever met him. Please let him know we love him and we’re praying for him and his family. Rachael
April 4, 2008 at 7:04 pm |
Dear Jim, Nancy, John and Betsy
I can’t stop thinking about you during this difficult time. You are such a wonderful, loving and inspirational family. I remember going to your house in Winnetka and having delicious alphabet pancakes. It always seemed so magical – Jim would disappear and come out to the porch minutes later with a J and K pancake. Even though John and I were just kids, you and Jim always made us feel so special and loved.
It is wonderful reading all the emails and realizing that Jim had a way of making everyone around him feel special and loved.
About a month ago I told Mark about Jim’s creative pancakes and he started making them for the kids – of course they loved it.
This little piece of feeling special that Jim spread to me will live on in Jake and Hanna Kate – especially when we have Magical Alphabet Pancakes.
Thank you.
Love to you all
Kaitlin Doyle
April 4, 2008 at 7:20 pm |
Dear Haggertys,
The tone of this website reflects the strength, grace and optimism that I have come to associate with your family. This news is just heartbreaking, and we are so sorry. I love seeing how you have rallied round your wonderful dad and husband to focus on the only important thing now, enjoying each other. Our prayers our with you for the strength to enjoy this time together as much as you can. We will miss Jim so much. My mom will be there this Saturday and will be bringing hugs from all of us to all of you, one especially big one from me for Jim who I will think of as I last saw him at Grandmother Velma’s 90th and as one of the chosen few friends who came to celebrate my big wedding day — I love that I have those recent memories fresh in my mind.
Love you all so much xoxo
Amanda, Carl, Claren, Mackenna, Johanna, and small bun in oven
April 5, 2008 at 6:19 pm |
Hi Nancy, John and Betsy,
Alison forwarded the sad news. You may not know that I am living in Tucson, Arizona. We moved here about six years ago. It’s been a very long time since we were together with Jim, but the name Haggerty’s still keeps coming up. I will always remember the great times, the rugby games playing together for Jefferson Medical School, and the kindness that Jim shared with the world.
We will pray for Jim. We will pray for your family.
Pete Edwards, Tucson
April 7, 2008 at 1:02 am |
Hey Bets,
Just wanted to say that I’ve been thinking about you and your beautiful family ever since I got your email about your dad a few weeks ago… Mr. H.! I’m so sorry to hear about what you’re going through!!! As well as Betsy, John and Mrs. H. … It seems like only a little while ago we were all eating dinner at your house on Asbury (with sand in our shoes from Maple beach)! … Please know that all of you are in my thoughts and prayers!
With love,
Judy
April 7, 2008 at 4:18 am |
Dear Jim, Nancy, John and Betsy,
What love comes across these virtual lines. Thank you for sharing this news, the photos, the love among friends and now the photo of your new home. It all helps us focus our prayers for your beautiful family. I am hoping these messages are read to you Jim because we all love you so very much and share great and crazy memories of you.
How ironic that we sit here in Chicago while you are in Boston. When we moved out here to be closer to my awesome sister Claudia, you were the family that invited the kids and all of us over to your fabulous home and swimming pool. It was such a blast — Sarah Meade was with us too. The food was great, the weather gorgeous, much like today, and Jim just goofy with that inflated alligator or whatever that thing was in the pool. A shark? The kids hadn’t laughed that hard in a long time.
Thank you for sharing your loving selves with us. You remain in our prayers and on many prayer lists here for this intimate time together to be just as you want it to be.
In love and peace, Julia, Bob, John and Katharine Hooper
April 7, 2008 at 7:30 pm |
Dearest Betsy- ooooh, Dearest Dear… thank you for letting me know the news about your Dad. Your amazing strength and love shines through as you are once again called upon to live your days “being Betsy”. I miss seeing you here in CA but it would take more than a few thousand miles to diminish my love and support for you and Jim, Nancy and John. I am praying for Jim as he voyages through the next transition in his life. Be assured that you are in my heart today and always! love,love,love, Bliss
April 7, 2008 at 8:05 pm |
Dear Jim -
Jay Bowers sent me an email Saturday and I got your website from that. I remember with great comfort and warmth the conversation we had at our 45th Reunion not quite 2 years ago…and with that as the conduit – remembered once again our days at Holy Cross together. My prayers and heart go out to you and your family…as time from that time goes inevitably by and by…I recall more and more frequently the wonderful line of Pierre Teilhard De Chardin , S.J…”We are not human beings in search of a spiritual experience…rather we are spiritual beings in search if a human experience…”
God Bless you…and all of us…on this journey…
Dave Sheehan, 1961