Dr. James Deignan

Dr. James E. Deignan, 82 of Sioux City, went to his heavenly home on the morning of November 7th, 2017 at his home. Funeral services will be at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel at 11:30 A.M. Saturday, November 11, 2017 with Pastor Donna Smith of Cornerstone World Outreach officiating. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery directly following the service. Visitation will begin at 10:30 A.M. Saturday with the family present. James was born at home in Sioux City, Iowa on June 1,1935, the son of James Edmund Deignan and Jean M. (Brownlee) Engel. James graduated from Central High School in 1953, and in 1954, he married his high school sweetheart, Carol Gray. James then immediately enlisted in the Army. He continued his education at Morningside College in 1959, where he earned his B.A. in English and Physical Education. He then taught at Woodrow Wilson Junior High and Central High School as a teacher and coach. In 1965, he earned his M.A. in Secondary School Administration from the University of South Dakota. He then became Assistant Professor, Athletic Director and Coach at Briar Cliff College in Sioux City until 1968, when he became Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Sioux City. In 1971, James became Principal at South Sioux City High School in South Sioux City, Nebraska, and in 1975, became Assistant Principal at East High School in Sioux City, Iowa. In 1980, he became Principal of East High School, where he remained for 15 years. In 1984, James earned his Ed.S. in Educational Administration from the University of South Dakota and went on to earn his Ed.D. in 1987. He remained at East High School until he was transferred to West High School in 1990, where he retired in 1997. James will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 13 years, Ruth Deignan of Sioux City; his two wonderful sons, Michael Deignan of Sioux City and Jeffrey Deignan of Sioux City; and his three loving step-daughters and their husbands: Leann (Tim) Hicks of Sioux City; Rhonda (Jerry) Yezek of Burnsville, Minnesota; and Michelle (Tom) Clark of Sioux City. His grandchildren are: Josh Baxter and Caitlyn and Conor Deignan; and his step-grandchildren are: Lauren and Trenton Hicks; Allison and Averi Yezek; and Michael, Daniel and Noah Clark; three sisters and one brother: Patricia (Pat) Mansfield of Ventura, California; Maureen Norton of Sioux City; Marilyn O’Donnell of Sioux City; and Robert (Kathy) Deignan of Sioux City; and goddaughter Kimberly Russell of La Jolla, California. James is also survived by his daughter in law: Heidi Deignan of Sioux City. James was preceded in death by his father, who died in 1941 when James was only six years old; his step-father, Robert Engel, who died in 1992; his mother, Jean Engel (Brownlee) Deignan, who died in 1993; his daughter-in-law, Cindy Deignan, who died in 2014; brother in law Lyle O'Donnell who died in 2014, his brother-in-law, Jon Norton, who died in 2016; and a nephew, Tom Norton, who died in 1994.