John Hatzmann, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, engineer, and friend, passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of his family, on May 27, 2026. He was 86 years old.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1940 to Mary and Gus Hatzmann, John was the eldest of three sons. He attended Brooklyn Technical High School, where he developed the curiosity, determination, and aptitude that would shape his future career as an engineer.
As a teenager, John met the love of his life, Renee O'Brien. Their romance began in Brooklyn and grew into a lifelong partnership marked by devotion, laughter, and unwavering commitment. During those early years, John worked as a pinsetter at a local bowling alley, often attaching handwritten notes to bowling pins as a creative way to express his affection for Renee. Their courtship led to marriage on September 2, 1961, at Kings Highway Methodist Church in Brooklyn.
Together, John and Renee built a life centered on family and hard work. Shortly after the birth of their first son, Craig, they moved from Brooklyn to Rochester, New York, when John joined Xerox Corporation. There, they welcomed their second son, Keith, while John balanced work, family, and school, proudly earning his engineering degree from Rochester Institute of Technology.
In 1975, John and his family moved to Plano, Texas, where both his professional and personal life flourished. During his 35-year career with Xerox, John contributed to innovations in facsimile technology and was named on four patents. His work reflected the intelligence, creativity, and dedication that characterized every aspect of his life.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, John found joy in simple pleasures and meaningful relationships. He embraced the strong sense of community in the Country Place neighborhood, spent many happy years bowling in leagues with his sons, and never passed up an opportunity for a spirited game of Pinochle or a competitive pool match.
After retiring from Xerox in 1999, John embraced a well-earned season of leisure and creativity. Combining his talents in woodworking and metalworking, he took up the art of gunsmithing, handcrafting replicas of historic rifles and dueling pistols. He and Renee cherished travels to Aruba and, in the later years, John became a familiar face at the Plano Senior Center, where he formed lasting friendships and enjoyed the camaraderie of an active community.
Of all his roles, none brought John greater joy than being "Papa." He delighted in his ten grandchildren and could be found in the stands, audience, or sidelines of countless games, performances, graduations, and special events. He made it a priority to be present in their lives, celebrating their accomplishments and encouraging them with quiet pride and unwavering love. In recent years, he was further blessed by the arrival of four great-grandchildren, who brought him immense joy.
John and Renee were looking forward to celebrating 65 years of marriage this September, a testament to a love story that began in their youth and endured through every season of life.
John is survived by his beloved wife, Renee Hatzmann; his sons, Craig Hatzmann (Tea) of Plano and Keith Hatzmann (Mindy) of Dallas; his grandchildren, Colin (Isabella) Hatzmann of Dallas, Cameron (Leigh) Hatzmann of Little Elm, Connor Hatzmann of Plano, Grant Hatzmann of Los Angeles, California, Blair Hatzmann of San Diego, California, Reid Hatzmann of Jacksonville, Florida, and Shane, Brook, Cole, and Paige Hatzmann of Dallas; his great-grandchildren, Olivia and Leo of Dallas, and Parker and Holden of Little Elm; his brother, Robert (Chris) Hatzmann of Bradenton, Florida; and many extended family members and dear friends.
John's legacy lives on through the family he cherished, the lives he touched, and the example he set through his kindness, humility, dedication, and love.
A memorial service will be held at 4:00 p.m., Friday, July 31, 2026 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Chapel, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013. The service will also be live streamed at the following link: https://celebrationoflife.tv/. After the service, the recorded live stream will be available for viewing at the same link location.
John’s favorite charity was St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.