The death has taken place on August 4, 2011, at Ethicus Hospital in Grapevine, Texas, of Mr John Haddick of Edina, Knox County, Missouri, USA.
The 86 year old Mr Haddick was the eighth sibling and youngest child of Edward Haddick and Josephine O’Brien Haddick, born on November 18, 1924, in Cappawhite County, Tipperary, coming from a family which embraced both of Irelands historic traditions, namely the Orange and the Green. His mother was from a family with strong nationalist sympathies playing a part in the struggle for Irish independence, while in total contrast, his father’s family were from old Unionist 16th century plantation tradition.
Late John Haddick
John’s own career was as diverse as his early background. In 1940 he joined the Royal Air Force and fought as a fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain becoming one of those to whom Sir Winston Churchill referred as “Never in the course of history did so many owe so much too so few.” Later he fought under Field Marshal William Joseph (Bill) Slim, (1st Viscount Slim,) in the Burma Campaign and was to the fore in the famous “Operation Dracula,” the name given to an airborne and amphibious attack on Rangoon by British and Indian forces, part of the Burma Campaign when British forces successfully attacked the Japanese garrison at Rangoon.
After the war he became a member of London’s Metropolitan Police and acted as an Inspector of the force (Scotland Yard). He was placed on special guard duty during the Royal Wedding in 1948 of Princess Elizabeth, to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
In the succeeding years he held a variety of positions in the corporate world and on emigrating to the U.S. in the late 1950’s, he acquired American citizenship and began what was to become a very successful career in the insurance industry.
Mr Haddick was married twice; first to Mary Teresa Barry on September 5th, 1951 in Liverpool, England. (To this union was born one daughter before his wife died on June 29, 1952.) and married again to Bernadine Cecilia Schlepphorst on July 17th, 1958, in Cappawhite,Tipperary. (His second wife preceded his own death on November 4th, 2008.)
Close friends described the late Mr Haddick as a loving father, a deeply committed Christian, one of nature’s gentlemen, an incomparable friend and companion and an excellent and patriotic American, who held wide-ranging interests and was of no mean intellectual capacity.
Mr Haddick’s funeral Mass will be held 10.00 a.m. tomorrow Tuesday, August 9th, 2011, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Edina, with burial afterwards in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery.
Surviving Mr Haddick are one daughter, Mary T. Butler and husband Virgil; Nephews Kevin Haddick-Flynn, Stephen John Downey, Brendan Downey (England) Eamonn Mullins (Dublin); Nieces, Monica, Geraldine and Dolores Mullins (England) Josephine O’Sullivan Margaret O’Shea (Cork City) Marie O’Sullivan (Dublin) niece and god daughter Mary Carmel Downey (England) and Celestine Nae Mullins Crutchfield (Boston).
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