DOROTHY "GIGI" (ELLIS) HAGERTY

Nov. 26, 1929 - Dec. 12, 2011
SOUTH BEND - Gigi Hagerty, 82, died peacefully at Gulf Coast Hospital in Fort Myers, Florida, where she was surrounded by her family and friends. Her husband and family never left her side, providing her with love and support until her passing. Gigi was born on November 26, 1929 to the late James and Gladys (Morris) Ellis in South Bend, Indiana.

She married her high school sweetheart, Mansiel Patrick Hagerty, on January 1, 1949 in Chicago, Illinois. She is survived by her loving husband, her daughters Deborah Lynn Hagerty (Granger, Indiana), Shelley (Jerry) Meszaros (Fennville, Michigan) and Kimberly (James) Batalis (Mishawaka, Indiana).

Gigi graduated in 1948 from Central High School in South Bend, Indiana. During high school, she thoroughly enjoyed James Lewis Casaday's Barnstormer's Group, participating in several plays, Mikado being her favorite.

Gigi was an avid golfer and a former member of Morris Park Country Club in South Bend, where she participated in the 18 Hole Ladies Golf Association and Lady Guest Days. Gigi also loved to play gin and bridge and was a member of many clubs. She was a past member of the Christ Child Society, Ski Club and the Antiquarian Society of South Bend. In Fort Myers, Florida, she was a founding member of the Patty Berg Fiddlesticks Golf Classic and a member of the Patty Berg Board, where she worked tirelessly for the American Cancer Society after losing her loving sister, Marjorie Scott, to cancer.

She was preceded in death by two of her children, daughter Mary Frances Hagerty in June 2001 and son Patrick Michael (Denise) Hagerty in May 2011.

Gigi has eleven grandchildren, Todd Meszaros (Mishawaka, Indiana), Thomas Batalis (Granger, Indiana), Dianna (Hagerty) Leinen (South Bend, Indiana), Caitlin (Batalis) Van Zant (Granger, Indiana), Christie Batalis (Mishawaka, Indiana), Dawn Hagerty (Granger, Indiana), Dominic Gilbert (Osceola, Indiana), Michelle (Fredlake) Iglesias (Houston, Texas), Jamie (Fredlake) Harris (Houston, Texas), Peter Batalis (Atlanta, Georgia) and Halley (Meszaros) Martin (Saugatuck, Michigan). Gigi also has eighteen precious great grandchildren and many loving nieces and nephews.

Gigi is survived by her sisters, Betty (Orie) Swick (Mishawaka, Indiana) and Donna (John) Przybysz (Magician Lake, Michigan), her sister and brother-in-law, Barbara and Patrick Pellouchould (Boulder, Colorado) and her sister-in-law, Victoria Hagerty (Monte Carlo, Monaco).

Her sisters, Marjorie (Vern) Scott and Mary (Eugene) Nye, and brother, James Ellis, Jr., preceded her in death. The tallest and greatest love of her life was her husband Patrick, who lovingly and, without wavering, carried her throughout life's most beautiful and tragic moments.

Funeral services for Gigi will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 17, 2011 in the Palmer Funeral Home - Hickey Chapel, 17131 Cleveland Road, South Bend, Indiana 46635. Interment services will follow at Highland Cemetery in South Bend. Friends may visit with the family from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Friday, December 16, 2011 in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that contributions in memory of Gigi Hagerty be directed to Lee Cancer Care, either online at www.leememorial.org/foundation/make-a-donation.asp or via mail at Lee Cancer Care, c/o LMHS Foundation, 9800 S. HealthPark Drive, STE. 210, Fort Myers, Florida 33908, and Gigi will silently say "thank you". Online condolences may be left for the Hagerty family at www.palmerfuneralhomes.com.

Published by South Bend Tribune on Dec. 16, 2011.

01/24/2023 EJS