Former UWO chancellor dies

OSHKOSH - Former UW-Oshkosh Chancellor John Kerrigan died Tuesday, the school announced.

Kerrigan, Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, led the institution through a period of remarkable academic achievement and success from 1990 to 2000 while forging ground-breaking educational partnerships at home and in countries around the globe. He died November 5 in Dallas, Texas. He was 76.

John Kerrigan was the ninth Chancellor of UW Oshkosh. He was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin to Raymond and Eleanor Kerrigan on December 16, 1935.  He attended Aquinas High School in La Crosse, WI.  He married Patricia Maureen Ostrander on June 21, 1956 in La Crosse.

He is survived by his loving wife Patricia Kerrigan, his four children Maureen Kerrigan, Michael Kerrigan, Megan Yearout and Brian Kerrigan, and his ten grandchildren, Maxine Kerrigan, Jack Kerrigan, Katherine Kerrigan, David Kerrigan, Patrick Kerrigan, Kelsey Yearout, Nicholas Yearout, Zacharey Yearout and Abby Yearout; his sister Patricia McConaghy.

He is preceded in death by his father Raymond Kerrigan, his mother Eleanor Kerrigan, his brother Don Kerrigan, his sister Beverley Clements and his brother-in-law Donald McConaghy.”

A funeral mass will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 at St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church, 830 S. Westhaven Dr., Oshkosh. The service will be preceded by an 11 a.m. to Noon family reception at the church. The University is also planning a spring 2013 event within a UW Oshkosh sesquicentennial retrospective project that will honor Kerrigan’s service to the institution. Additional details will be shared in the months ahead.

Friends and colleagues of Kerrigan and his family are welcome to send thoughts and well wishes to: Pat Kerrigan, 13001 Hillcrest Road, Dallas, Texas 75240. Donations in lieu of flowers can be directed to St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church in Oshkosh.

“In John Kerrigan, our University, city, region, state, nation and educational communities around the globe had the privilege of working alongside and learning from a leader of purpose and dedication,” UW Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells said. “He was a human being driven by his passion to use education as a force for promoting cultural awareness, expanding economic prosperity and advancing human understanding. He will be greatly missed. However, his legacy lives on in the culture and thousands of members of our UW Oshkosh community and in the expanding educational communities he helped seed around the world.”