James William Hannan

James William Hannan, age 89, of Crozet, Virginia died peacefully on Thursday March 21, 2019 in Charlottesville, Virginia. James was born on January 15, 1930. He grew up in Hodge, Louisiana. He loved to share stories about his youth growing up in Louisiana and his beloved dogs Tippy and Shep. While in high school he was a member of the Jonesboro-Hodge High School Louisiana State Championship football team of 1945. Upon graduation from Jonesboro-Hodge High School in 1947 he went to the College of The Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. After graduation from Holy Cross in 1951, James joined the Air Force to serve his country during the Korean War. While on active duty he was awarded the Good Conduct, National Defense, Korean Service and U.N. Service Medals. Before he deployed to Japan he met and became engaged to Winifred Boss while they both were attending Syracuse University. They were married in 1955 upon his return from Japan. James continued his education at Harvard University in Cambridge Massachusetts. While there he studied at the Law School and School of Languages studying the Russian language and was awarded a Master’s Degree. Years later, James continued to pursue his education and received a Master’s Degree from American University in Washington D.C. James and his family moved from Massachusetts to McLean, Virginia in 1963 while he worked for the National Security Agency. While living in McLean he also taught at American University. James leaves his wife of 63 years, Winifred Boss Hannan of Crozet Virginia. He also leaves his daughter Winifred Hannan Ashooh and her husband Peter Ashooh of Stafford, Virginia; son James Hannan and his wife Anna Fisher Hannan of Palo Alto; his son Christian Hannan and his partner Dr. Nadia Tchao of San Francisco, California; and his daughter Maryann Hannan Carter and her husband George Carter of Leesburg, Virginia. He also leaves his grandchildren Nicholas Ashooh and his wife Lindsey Adams Ashooh of Annapolis, Maryland. Benjamin Ashooh and his wife Michelle Grigsby Ashooh of Stafford, Virginia, Dr. Mary Kathryn Hannan Nelson and her husband William Nelson of Boston, Massachusetts, Griffith Ashooh of Stafford, Virginia, John Walker Hannan of San Francisco, and Katherine Carter of Leesburg, Virginia, and his great grandson James Rhys Ashooh of Stafford, Virginia. James was preceded in death by his son Ernest John Hannan in 2011. Funeral services for James will be held on Saturday, March 30th, 2019, at 11am, at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, 401 Alderman Road, Charlottesville, Virginia. Burial to follow at Rockgate Cemetery in Crozet.