Obituary of Vincent John Kerrigan

Passed away peacefully August 31, 2012 at the age of 84. Born October 2, 1927 in Brooklyn, NY to Vincent dePaul and Juliana Anna (Kick) Kerrigan. His sister, Jean Kerrigan Benjamin was born 15 months later. Vince and Jean were very close growing up. When Vince was 2 years old the doctors told his parents that they should relocate to the mountains for his health, so the family moved to Walker Valley, NY about 3 hours north of NYC. Vince and Jean attended a one-room schoolhouse. Vince was held back a year, in the 3rd grade and from that day forward he and Jean were in the same class year the rest of their school days. He would sometimes get frustrated when Jean would be able to get her school work done more quickly and accurately. They both attended Pine Bush High School in Pine Bush, NY. Jean remembers many times that the bus would arrive to pick them up for school, she would board the bus and plead with the driver to wait for her (always late) brother, which the bus driver always did. Vince played basketball in high school. The high school was 5 miles from home and he would often have to hitchhike home, even in snowy weather after basketball practices and games. And if he couldn't get a ride, he walked home. Jean attended the games so she would be with him those nights. They graduated from high school together in June 1945. Vince joined the U.S. Maritime Service in September 1945. He was there 9 months during which time he was sent to San Francisco and aboard a ship to Hawaii. When he returned from Hawaii he signed off the ship. He joined the Navy in June 1946. After almost 4 years in the Navy, he decided to make the Navy a career. He spent over a year in Electronics school learning Radar, gun computers and missile computers. During his 20+ years in the Navy, over 5 years at different times was spent aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Bon Homme Richard and included tours off Korea during the Korean War and off Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Vince retired from the Navy in September 1966 as Senior Chief. Vince married Helen Hill in 1953 (in Sunnyvale, CA) while in the Navy. Together they had 3 children, Steven, Susan and Paul. After retiring from the Navy, he went to work for an electronics company called Applied Technology in Sunnyvale, CA. During his 29 years with ATI, Vince advanced from Field Engineer to Engineer to Project Engineer to Senior Engineer to Management - finally as Manager, Product Support on an electronic Radar Warning system that was installed in US Navy Fighter and Attack Aircraft. After retirement Vince enjoyed volunteering at everything; Chamber of Commerce, Lion's Club, you name it. Vince divorced in June 1970 and he married Joann Saum in 1985 though they met and were together starting in 1974. Joann has 3 children, Victoria, David and Linda whom Vince considered his own. Vince had 10 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Vince was preceded in death by his parents Vincent and Juliana. Preceded in death by a brother James and a sister Julia who passed away before Vince was born. Vince was also preceded in death by his son Paul Kerrigan. Vince is survived by his wife Joann Kerrigan of Sunnyvale, his sister Jean Benjamin of Punta Gorda, FL. His combined children, Steven Kerrigan of San Jose, Susan Kerrigan Rynearson (and husband Ray) of Sunnyvale, Victoria Albrecht (and husband John) of Santa Clara, David Huffman (and wife Ramona) of Grants Pass, OR and Linda McBride of Redondo Beach. Vince was a life member of the Fleet Reserve Association. Memorial Donations can be made in Vincent's memory to: FHSAA, Fremont High School Alumni Association, PO Box 2709, Sunnyvale, CA 94087. His daughter Susan is the FHSAA Secretary and Historian. Susan, Steven and Paul graduated from Fremont High School. This non-profit, all-volunteer organization raises funds for scholarships for the senior students of Sunnyvale's Fremont High School. Susan writes stories of history of the current students and alumni which Vince enjoyed reading and he was supportive of the organization's mission to send kids to higher education with help of scholarship awards. Funeral service will be at Spangler Mortuary Wyant & Smith, Thursday September 6, 2012 at 10am. 174 N. Sunnyvale Ave, Sunnyvale, CA. Burial to follow at Alta Mesa.




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