John W. Deegan

John W. Deegan, 81, former director of Institutional Research and Planning at Western Connecticut State University, died March 5, in Danbury Hospital. He was the husband of the late Mary Jeanne (Healy) Deegan and resided at Flat Swamp Road in Newtown.

He was born in Ridgeway, Penn., August 12, 1918, son of the late William and Elizabeth (Klingle) Deegan. He received his bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering from Catholic University, Washington, D.C., in 1940.

During World War II he served as lieutenant in the US Navy as a civil engineer. Following his discharge he was self-employed in Ridgeway, Penn.

From 1947 to 1959 he was employed as an engineer for Hyde-Murphy in Ridgeway, Penn. From 1959 to 1971 he was director of engineering services at Mellon Institute. During this time he studied at the University of Pittsburgh, where he received an MBA in 1963.

From 1971 to 1973 he was employed by Carnegie-Mellon, monitoring the development of the physical plant.

He came to Western Connecticut State University in 1973, first as facilities engineer, retiring in 1976. He played a major role in the development of the West Side Campus as WCSU during the late 1970s as well as the initiation of the Ives Center in 1982.

From 1985 to 1997 he served on the Newtown Planning and Zoning Commission, and for many years was chairman of the commission.

He was a member of the Newtown Rotary Club and previously was a member of the Danbury Rotary Club. He is a former trustee of the Cyrenius H. Booth Library. A resident of Newtown since 1973, he was a communicant of St Rose Church.

He is survived by four sons, William Deegan of Holbrook, Penn., John Michael Deegan of New York City, Peter and Matthew Deegan of Pittsburgh, Penn.; and five grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown, Monday, March 13 at 11 am. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery.

Friends may call after 10 am Monday. Contributions in his memory may be made to Danbury Hospital, Danbury, CT 06810.

The Newtown Bee         March 10, 2000