WOLCOTT- It is with profound sadness and heavy hearts that the family of Patrick J. Hartigan Jr., age 89, of Wolcott, says farewell for now, to our beloved father, grandfather, and friend, following his peaceful passing on Monday, August 31, 2026, in the comfort of his home, surrounded by the love of his family. He was the widower of Inez (Mellick) Hartigan of nearly 59 years before she passed in 2018.

Patrick was born July 18, 1937, in Waterbury CT, the only child of Irish immigrants, the late Patrick J Hartigan Sr. and Mary (Rafferty) Hartigan. Patrick grew up in Waterbury attending St. Mary’s Catholic School and Leavenworth High School. He met the love of his life, Inez, in the late 1950’s on a blind date. They married in 1959 and settled in Wolcott in 1963 where they raised their family. Patrick graduated from New Haven College and the University of Connecticut, where he studied Mechanical Engineering. He dedicated his career to aerospace technology, Navy nuclear instrumentation, and optical and space systems. He was honored to work on the Chandra X-Ray telescope as well as the Hubble Space telescope, as he held an armed forces “Q clearance”. He also taught mathematics and drafting at the Warren Institute.

Patrick was an avid golfer and never missed an opportunity to play a round. Wherever he traveled, his golf clubs went with him. He was a member of the Chase Country Club before it was renamed the Farmingbury Hills Country Club in 1975. When the club was renamed via a town-wide essay contest, his daughter wrote the winning essay. Patrick was a member of the Farmingbury Hills Men’s Golf Association and the Thursday night men’s golf league. A highlight of Patrick’s golfing career was achieving a hole in one and meeting Arnold Palmer in the parking lot of the former Greater Hartford Open. Patrick played golf at numerous courses, municipal and private with some of the most memorable being the Rockport Golf Club, Edgartown Golf Club, the Dukes course and the Old Course St. Andrews.

Patrick was a member of the Wolcott Lions Club for many years, serving as an Officer. Patrick proudly served his country in the U.S. Army Reserve as a Sgt. and was an honorably discharged veteran. Patrick enjoyed the theatre and was a member of the Goodspeed Opera House as well as the Yale Repertory. He was thrilled to watch his grandchildren in musicals and plays in the Wolcott Public Schools, Seven Angels Theater, Cheshire Academy and Choate Rosemary Hall. Patrick was a lifelong fan of many sports teams, the Former Brooklyn (LA) Dodgers, NY Giants and UConn women’s and men’s basketball. Though Patrick's many accomplishments spanned a remarkable career, a lifetime of friendships, and countless rounds of golf, his greatest legacy lives on in the family he loved so deeply.

Patrick is survived by his daughter Lisa Hartigan Sexton, and son William Patrick Hartigan. He also leaves behind his two grandchildren, Caroline and Patrick Sexton.

Funeral Services for Mr. Hartigan Jr. will be held on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. when a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St Basil the Great Parish, Saint Pius X Church, 525 Woodtick Road, Wolcott CT 06716. Burial will follow in Edgewood Cemetery with full military honors. Relatives and friends are invited to pay their respects and visit with Patrick’s family on Wednesday morning from 9:00 a.m. until the procession leaves for church at 10:30 a.m. at Casey’s Eastside Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Care 1987 East Main St Waterbury CT 06705. To honor Patrick’s memory, donations can be made to First Tee CT, 55 Golf Club Rd. Cromwell, CT 06416 at https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/firstteeconnecticut. In this time of reflection, the family welcomes all who knew and loved Patrick to share messages of condolence, comfort, and cherished memories. Please visit the funeral home's tribute page at www.caseyfunerals.com to connect to leave your condolences to the family.