Deacon James V. ‘Jim’ Kerrigan

DEACON JAMES V. KERRIGAN – in Woburn, July 21st, eighty three years of age. Beloved husband of Muriel T.(Normand) Kerrigan. Loving father of Suzanne M. Tandon, her husband P.K. of Wayland, Christine A. Lund, her husband Brian of TX, Alicia B. Anderson, her husband Patrick of Haverhill, Kendra L. Balcius, her husband Jim of Franklin, Michael J. Kerrigan of Watertown, David J. Kerrigan, his wife Nely of Woburn, Steven J. Kerrigan, his wife Emily of NC, Andrew J. Kerrigan, of Galway, Ireland. Dear brother of Mary Kathleen Foley, her husband Donald and Harry Kerrigan, his wife Kathy all of Woburn. Special Pepère of 9 grandchildren. Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews. A Funeral will be held from the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn Wednesday, July 27 at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Barbara’s Church, 138 Cambridge Rd, Woburn, at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to calling hours Tuesday, July 26 4-8 p.m. Remembrances may be made in Jim’s memory to St. Barbara’s Church, 138 Cambridge Road, Woburn, MA 01801, or the Woburn Council of Social Concern, 2 Merrimack Street, Woburn, MA 01801. Late Deacon of St. Mary’s Church of Winchester and St. Barbara’s Church of Woburn. Interment will be held in Sanford, ME. at a later date.

OBITUARY:

Obituary

Deacon James V. Kerrigan

James “Jim” V. Kerrigan was, in the words of his oldest granddaughter, “finally able to go meet the man he was working so hard for” when he entered into the arms of his Savior on July 21, 2016 at the age of 83.

Born in Somerville, April 3, 1933 to Catherine (McNeely) Kerrigan and Joseph Henry Kerrigan, Jim was the oldest of their three children. Raised in Medford, he attended Malden Catholic High School and enlisted in the US Navy. Upon his honorable discharge in 1955, he began his health care career at Malden Hospital while working on his Bachelor’s degree from Boston College and then his MBA from George Washington University.

During his 30-plus year career in hospital administration, several Boston-area hospitals and healthcare organizations, including the New England Medical Center, Faulkner Hospital, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, Framingham Union Hospital and the Massachusetts Peer Review Organization (MassPRO), benefitted from his talents.

Jim was also very involved in several professional, community and religious organizations including, but not limited to, the New England Hospital Assembly, Massachusetts Hospital Association, and the Massachusetts Superior Court System medical malpractice tribunal. He also served on several boards for the Sisters of Notre Dame.

In addition to working full-time, Jim was an educator, serving as a part-time faculty member at Stonehill College for 25 years teaching classes in Supervision, Leadership, and Medical Ethics for the college’s health care administration program. Described by his students as “tough but fair,” Jim helped educate and mentor many future health care leaders. He cherished his time teaching, reminding his fellow professors that Christ was a teacher, as well, and opening each of the classes he taught with a prayer.

In 1998, Jim was ordained as a permanent Deacon of the Archdiocese of Boston where he was assigned to St. Mary Parish in Winchester and later to St. Barbara Parish of Woburn, his home parish where he regularly attended Mass. While he enjoyed all of his parish work, ministering to those in the Chelsea Soldier’s Home and his prison ministry were of special significance to him.

Regardless of all the different titles he held, he was always just “Dad” to his children or “Pepère” to his grandchildren. He instilled a firm work ethic in his children. He was a true patriarch providing for his family and modeling a faith-based life for his children, whom he always called “his greatest gifts.” His quick wit and teasing nature featured prominently in his time with his grandchildren, whom he loved being around.

His larger than life personality remained intact during his last three years at Monarch Homes, Woburn, where was well-cared for by the staff members who loved Jim’s smile, his piercing blue eyes and his one-liners.

Jim’s family would like to thank John McDonough and the staff at Monarch Homes, Woburn for the excellent, loving care they gave to Jim when his family could no longer care for him at home. That was a gift that will forever be treasured by his family.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 50 years, Muriel T. (Normand) Kerrigan of Woburn, Suzanne M. Tandon and her husband P.K. of Wayland; Christine A. Lund and her husband Brian of TX; Alicia B. Anderson and her husband Patrick of Haverhill; Kendra L. Balcius and her husband Jim of Franklin; Michael J. Kerrigan of Watertown, David J. Kerrigan and his wife Nely of Woburn; Steven J. Kerrigan and his wife Emily of NC, and Andrew J. Kerrigan of Galway, Ireland. Jim was also a special Pepère of 9 grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Mary Kathleen Foley and her husband Donald, and brother Harry Kerrigan and his wife Kathy all of Woburn and many loving nieces and nephews.

A Funeral will be held from the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn Wednesday, July 27 at 9 a.m. followed by a Funeral Mass in St. Barbara Church, 138 Cambridge Rd, Woburn, at 10 a.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to calling hours Tuesday, July 26 from 4-8 p.m. Remembrances may be made in Jim’s memory to St. Barbara Parish, 138 Cambridge Road, Woburn, MA 01801, or the Woburn Council of Social Concern, 2 Merrimack Street, Woburn, MA 01801. Interment will be held in Sanford, ME. at a later date.