John J. O’Hagan, Jr. of Birmingham, Ala., passed on to his eternal reward on March 12, 2020 after a long struggle with dementia. John, better known as Johnny, was born on April 2, 1929 in Charleston, South Carolina and was the only son of Helen Wilken O’Hagan and John J. O’Hagan, Sr. He graduated The Citadel with degrees in political science, shoe shining, and bed making with a 2nd Lieutenant’s commission. During his senior year at The Citadel, he fell in love with his eventual bride, Hasel Love Overcarsh (known by everyone as Chutchie), and they married on July 7, 1951. Johnny served the next two years in the US Army at Ft. Eustis, Virginia. This was a honeymoon period for Johnny and Chutchie as they lived in historic Williamsburg. When the stint in the Army was up, they moved to Lynchburg, Virginia where Johnny began his career as a salesman. His favorite company was Kendall Corporation for whom he sold hospital supplies. He learned the sales trade from his father who sold antiques and life insurance. Johnny’s career took him and his family to live in Richmond, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Memphis, Greenville (SC), and eventually Birmingham. Along the way, he and Chutchie, who survives him, had three sons – John (III), David, and Frank – and a daughter, Kathleen Hennessy, all of whom survive him and none of whom quite had the knack of selling though he endeavored to teach them. Johnny lived this life simply loving God and Jesus Christ, as a devout Roman Catholic. He worshiped and ushered at St. Francis Xavier. He devoted his spare time to his family and his home. He somehow provided his children with all they needed including parochial school educations and great memories of vacations to the beaches around Charleston and the mountains around Newland. Johnny is also survived by his two sisters, Helen O’Hagan and Kathy Blanchard in Charleston, eight grandchildren – Emma O’Hagan, Helene O’Hagan Eddy, James Ross O’Hagan, Melissa Hennessy Dougherty, Joseph Breckenridge Hennessy, Maura O’Hagan, Lilly O’Hagan, and Euzela O’Hagan – and the spouses of their immediate children – Mary Weedon Foy, Renee Coker O’Hagan, Thomas Andrew Hennessy, and Elizabeth England O’Hagan. Johnny is also survived by one great grandchild, Leo Dougherty, the son of Melissa and Neil Dougherty. The Funeral Mass will be held at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church on March 21, 2020 at 2 PM with Visitation the hour before. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider a donation to St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church (giving.parishsoft.com/App/Giving/stfrancisx) or the Alabama Spay and Neuter Clinic (alspay.org/donate/).
Posted in: Birmingham News
Posted on: 2020-03-16
Link to original obituary: https://obits.al.com/obituaries/birmingham/obituary.aspx?n=john-joseph-ohagan&pid=195696764#_ga=2.156226558.459495535.1584361469-632150796.1570616786