Obituary of Henry Klar Yaggi

Henry Klar Yaggi III, (Hank) adored father and grandfather; devoted and loving husband and brother; past President of WTNH-TV in New Haven, and of WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C.; community leader; natty dresser; teacher; music lover, fundraiser; car lover; teller of dirty limericks; perfectionist, wood craftsman, and according to his granddaughter, someone who always smelled good, died August 31, 2014, in Branford, CT from Alzheimer’s Disease. Hank was born in Columbus, Ohio, on April 11, 1943. He attended Ohio State University and received a B.A. in History and Political Science, from Otterbein College, as well as a Doctor of Humane Letters from Quinnipac University. Though he loved his family very much, which includes his Aunt Elsie McCall of Columbus, Ohio; Elsa and Warren Campbell of Stoutsville, Ohio; Marsha and George Drosos of Columbus, Ohio; Maryjane and Ron O’Brien of Islamorado, Florida; sister-in-law Lisa Merrick of Seattle Washington, and numerous nieces and newphews, he couldn’t wait to leave town and make his own mark on the world. He married his wife Valerie Merrick Yaggi when she was 19 and they had three children in five years: son, Dr. Henry Klar Yaggi IV, and daughter, Hilarie Yaggi Alden, both from Madison, CT, and son, Kristopher Yaggi, of Guilford, CT. He loved his daughter-in-law Dr. Seonaid Hay and son-in-law, Andrew Alden, as if they were his own. Hank lived to trick, tease, joke and scare the willies out of his grandchildren Maddy and Anna Yaggi; Ryan and Liam Regan; Mitchell, Henry, and Lydia Yaggi, and his bonus grandchildren, Max, Griffin and Sophie Alden. Working in television was his dream-come-true, because it was always exciting and had a profound effect on the community. His career took his family all over the country from Columbus, to Chicago, Charleston, Albany, Providence, Washington, and New Haven. He loved every day he went to work. Hank was known as a driven, honest, straight-shooter, innovator and a visionary in his field, a risk taker, and a man whose ties and pocket squares always matched perfectly. He was a class act. Hank dove into community work and was a member of the Board of Trustees of Yale-New Haven Hospital, as well as a member of the Medical Committee; Board Member of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation; President of the New Haven Symphony; Vice-Chair of the Board of the Shubert Theater; Board Member of the United Way of CT; Senior Vice President of the United Way of the National Capitol area; Board member of the National Board of Television Bureau of Advertisers and National Board of Governors of the ABC Television Association. Hank raised over $100 million dollars for non-profits and charitable organizations. He was chosen by President George Herbert Walker Bush as one of his “Points of Light” for all the community work he did. Hank enjoyed participating in Republican politics, much to the chagrin of his Democratic wife as they always cancelled out each other’s votes. After retiring from TV, Hank enjoyed a few years of teaching at the University of New Haven, where he also served as general manager of the University’s community radio station. He loved his students, and used the radio station as a platform to pass on practical knowledge, teach about the business of running a station, serving the community, and furthering his students’ careers. He was bound and determined to make that Radio Station the number-one-rated community station in the state, which he did. Hank designed and built a state-of-the-art TV station in Washington, D.C, and a beautiful home in Madison, Connecticut. He loved to work with his hands and throughout his life designed and created wood-crafted rooms and spaces in his home for his family to enjoy. Hank’s happiest times were hanging out with his family (the most fascinating people he knew) in the family room or on the back deck , blaring music and drinking Single Malt Scotch. As his disease progressed, he found comfort sitting on a wood bench in the garden watching the birds and animals that gathered around the pond. In his spare time, Hank loved walking his dogs; driving fast in his sports car on a newly paved road; wearing freshly pressed khakis; watching and setting off fireworks; eating Klondike bars, and buying new vacuums. He even had a vacuum to clean his other vacuums. His also spent time enjoying his two heroes, TJ and JT, (Thomas Jefferson and James Taylor). Hank loved the fact that he shared the same birthday as Thomas Jefferson. According to Hank’s wishes, there will be no services. Clancy Funeral Home in East Haven will handle the arrangements. His family will scatter his ashes along his favorite ride as they remember Hank with the top-down on the convertible, wearing a Ralph Lauren hat, James Taylor blaring, Val by his side as always, speeding down Ocean Drive in Newport, Rhode Island. Please give contributions in Hank’s name to the Yale-New Haven Hospital, 20 York Street, New Haven CT 06510 or the Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford CT 06405 which helped Hank live his last few months in peace, dignity, and love.