James Joseph Hartigan

James J. Hartigan, 95, of Barrington, Illinois, passed away peacefully of natural causes on March 28, 2020. A beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and brother, Jim was an icon in the aviation industry, the former Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of United Airlines.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, as the oldest boy of 10 children, Jim took on responsibility for his family at just 12 years old, when his father passed away unexpectedly. While still attending school, Jim worked assorted jobs and became a champion bicycle racer with the Empire City Wheelmen, appearing in news articles as “the youngster Jimmy Hartigan,” and earning prizes at the velodrome in Coney Island and in road races throughout the Northeast to help feed and support his family. A proud Brooklynite, whose accent never faded no matter where he lived, Jim later loved regaling family with stories of his New York childhood, including clam-digging in Sheepshead Bay, visits to “Tar Beach” (the roof) and escaping the dog days of summer at his relatives’ home, “Nagitrah,” on Long Island (Hartigan, spelled backward). With an irrepressible Irish gift for storytelling, he’d bring the city's history to life for his children and grandchildren with tales of Tammany Hall, New York's wise guys and Brooklyn’s important role in the Revolutionary War.

Jim started with United in 1942 as a junior passenger agent, back when the airline, operating just four flights a day out of the city, would greet passengers in Midtown Manhattan and ferry them out to the airfield. The following year, he enlisted with the U.S. Navy as an aviation cadet, serving as one of the youngest flight instructors ever in Pensacola, Florida.

Once discharged, he returned to New York and his job at United. In October, 1946, he married his sweetheart, Ann O’Neill, flying the couple himself to their honeymoon in Colonial Williamsburg. Together, they moved with their growing family throughout the country as Jim took on increasing responsibility with the airline, including working in sales, operations and management roles in Philadelphia, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Chicago. Over the course of his 46-year career with United, Jim’s highest priorities were passenger safety and customer service. He oversaw the development of United’s first computerized reservation system, as well as expansion of United’s routes to Asia and the acquisition of Pan-Am’s Pacific routes.

After he retired, Jim hardly slowed down, splitting time between Chicago and West Palm Beach. An avid golfer into his 90s, he was part of the earliest tee-time group, known as “Dawn Patrol” and the “Dew Dusters” at Rolling Green Country Club in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and Palm Beach Polo Club in Wellington, Florida. He and Ann loved to travel, especially to visit their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in California, and to see extended family in Ireland. He loved keeping up with the latest technology, devouring good books, debating politics and eating the cherrystone clams that reminded him of his childhood in Brooklyn. Jim was active civically and in the community, including serving as Chairman of the Board of the Air Transport Association and on the boards of First Chicago Bank, Roper Corporation and Holy Family Hospital, among others.  He especially loved his time with the Conquistadores del Cielo, where he was a perennial skeet and trap champion.

Jim is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Ann, and his children John Hartigan (Laurie) and Patricia Meenan (James), his daughter-in-law Maureen Hartigan, as well as 11 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren, and his brother John. He was preceded in death by his son James J. Hartigan, Jr.

A celebration of his life will be held later in the year.