MARGARET F. CORRIGAN

MILLINOCKET – Margaret F. Corrigan, 89, wife of the late Raymond T. Corrigan, passed away peacefully Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2006, surrounded by her loving family at a Millinocket hospital. She was born Jan. 13, 1917, in Millinocket, the daughter of Herbert and Laura (Morgan) Bruce. Margaret was a loving and compassionate mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and sister who enjoyed her family greatly. She was a lifelong resident of Millinocket, graduating from Stearns High School in 1934 where she served as president of the Student Council and was active in sports, especially basketball and track. Margaret served as basketball team captain and lettered in the sport. Margaret went on to further her education at the Maine Eye and Ear Infirmary, Portland, where she graduated with a degree in nursing. In 1939 she married her high school sweetheart, Raymond Corrigan, also of Millinocket and together they raised three daughters. For many years, Margaret was employed as a registered nurse at the Millinocket Community Hospital specializing in private duty care. Outside her job, she had many interests and hobbies. She was actively involved in and served as president of the Millinocket Community Hospital Auxiliary, was a member of the Millinocket Garden Club, the Millinocket Bridge Club, the Class of ’34 gatherings and a communicant of St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, Millinocket. Margaret enjoyed summers at the Corrigan family-owned camp on Togue Pond in Baxter State Park and at their cottage on Ambajejus Lake. She loved caring for her home, traveling with her husband and children, playing the piano and organ, ceramics, rug hooking and painting. She took an avid interest in her husband’s love for the outdoors, accompanying him on many fishing, hunting, canoeing and boating trips. She was also a baseball fan and took great pleasure in attending her grandchildren’s Little League baseball and softball games. The Boston Red Sox held her interest since childhood and often she made the trip to Fenway Park to cheer them on. At the age of 87, she was still following her team and was thrilled to witness their 2004 World Series win. After Raymond’s retirement as president of the Millinocket Foundry and Machine Co., they purchased a winter home in Pinellas Park, Florida where they “snow-birded” for many years together until Raymond’s death in 1992. With a great deal of strength, courage and grace, Margaret continued on without her one true love and husband of 53 years, enjoying special family gatherings and time with her many friends. In spite of a long-term lung disease and severe vision impairment, she rarely complained and continued wintering alone in Florida spending time with close friends, enjoying the warm weather, her weekly games of Bridge and attending Bible study classes. Margaret also delighted in sharing her southern home with her daughters and their families. When alone, she often listened to music and her many talking books kindly provided by the Maine Center for the Blind. Margaret will be remembered for the special holidays she planned for her family, Christmas being closest to her heart. She always put others’ needs before her own and will continue to be a remarkably generous, giving and loving role model to her family. She lived her life with dignity, compassion and grace. Margaret will be deeply missed by her three devoted daughters, Bonnie Brilliant and her husband, Wayne, of Millinocket, Catherine Smith and her husband, Gary, of Hermon and Barbara Veilleux and her husband, Jim, of Bangor. She was especially close to her three grandchildren, Peter Michaud and partner, Gayle Cormier, of Millinocket, Kara O’Sullivan and husband, Jeff, of Hampden and Casey Veilleux of Portland. She is also survived by three great-grandchildren, Danielle and Mackenzie Michaud of Thomasville, Georgia and Alayna Michaud of Winslow. Margaret also leaves behind and will be sadly missed by her older sister, Helen (Bruce) Waite of Anahuac, Texas, as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Robert Waite, Ralph and Audrey Corrigan, Leo and Molly Corrigan, Emma Corrigan, John “Jack” Corrigan, Yvonne and Edwin Boddy and most recently a nephew, John Walter Corrigan of Stockton Springs. Friends are invited to visit with the family 5-9 p.m. Friday at Bouchard – Lamson Funeral Home, 11 Tamarack St., Millinocket. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church, 112 Maine Ave., Millinocket, with the Rev. Joel Cyr, pastor, presider. Interment will be at Millinocket Cemetery, Millinocket. Gifts in memory of Margaret may be sent to the Katahdin Area Support Group, 10 Field St., Millinocket, ME 04462 or to the charity of one’s choice. The family wishes to thank the compassionate and caring staff of Sweet Seniors Guest House Assisted Living Facility, East Millinocket, where Margaret resided since August of 2006. Online condolences may be placed at www.lamsonfh.com