Ira "Jay" Jagerman

Ira “Jay” Jagerman, 91, of Mishawaka, passed peacefully, surrounded by family, on Friday, October 7, 2016 at Kindred Valley View, Elkhart, Indiana.

Ira was born June 11, 1925 in Bronx, New York, the son of the late Hyman and Lottie (Kaye) Jagerman. He grew up in Manhattan (Harlem) and spent many years in New York. At a young age, Ira enlisted in the Marines, but his “bad knee” cut that adventure short. He then moved to Hollywood with aspirations of becoming an actor. He also performed in Civic Theatre on Long Island, New York.

Ira owned and operated Harlem’s first supermarket, Jagerman’s Super Foods on 116th Street. After selling the family grocery business, he became owner/operator of a men’s clothing store in Florida. When they settled in Mishawaka, Ira became manager of Knollwood Country Club for several years. He then went into car sales, first working for Peppers’ Imported Cars where he earned several sales awards, then selling for various local dealers, and finally retiring as new car sales manager at Gurley-Leep’s University Chrysler store.

Ira married Myra Rosen in 1949, and this 13-year marriage was blessed with three sons: Mark, Michael, and Matthew. On November 5, 1964, Ira married Helen Jane “Jan” Templeton, and they were blessed with four children: Douglas, Tressa, Tracy, and Jennifer. Ira and Jan lived in New York until moving to Hollywood, Florida in 1972. The Jagerman’s settled in Mishawaka in 1975. God blessed Ira and Jan with over 52 years together, during which they showed all who knew them the definition of true, unconditional love.

Ira’s greatest passions were sports, music, and fine dining. He played golf, tennis, and baseball, and also enjoyed watching sports. Ira and Jan created fond family memories around the piano, singing show tunes with lots of love and laughter. Those who knew Ira knew he loved good food, good drinks, good jokes, and cigars. Only “the best” would do: Filet, My-T-Fine Pudding, Nova, Mallomars, and Popeye’s Chicken to name a few.

Ira’s surviving family includes his loving wife, Jan; seven children and seventeen grandchildren, Mark Jagerman of Ft. Lee, NJ; Michael (Ruth) Jagerman of Mission Viejo, CA, Joshua and Nicole; Matthew (Katya) Jagerman of Mission Viejo, CA, Marisa, Isabel, and Daniel; Douglas (Laura) Jagerman of Santa Ana, CA, Jamie, Jonathan, Jordan, Lauren, Corrie, and Josiah; Tressa (Gary) Decker of Granger, Brennan and Brayden; Tracy (Joe) Malkin of Ft. Lee, NJ and Mitchell; and Jennifer (Jon) Guimont of Indianapolis, Cassidy, Cooper Jay, and Quinn. He is also survived by his aunt, Shirley Gottlieb. “Papa” was deeply loved by all of his children and grandchildren. He taught them to never run in the house, how to play gin rummy, and to always give a kiss goodbye before you go. Papa knew how to love.

Ira was preceded in death by his sister, Selma Treff.

Services honoring Ira’s life will be held at 1:00 pm Thursday, October 13, 2016 in Goethals & Wells Funeral Home, 503 W. 3rd Street, Mishawaka, with Pastor Mark Moore and Pastor John Wilson officiating. Private family burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery.

Visitation for family and friends will be held from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm in the funeral home prior to the service and then again at River Valley Church, Bittersweet Rd., Mishawaka from 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm, where everyone can enjoy a time of food and fellowship to celebrate Ira’s life.

The family would like to thank the staff at Valley View, who truly cared for Ira over the last 8 years.

Memorials may be directed to Riley Children’s Hospital. Assistance with memorials is available at the funeral home.