Milburne "Big" Carrigan

MILBURNE 'BIG' REO CARRIGAN was born October 31, 1927 to Charles and Helen (Van Dam) Carrigan in Wood Lake, Minnesota. He was raised in Lakefield, Minnesota and graduated from Lakefield High School in 1945. Big enlisted in the United States Army in 1946 and was honorably discharged in Oct. of 1947. On February 14, 1948 he was united in marriage to Barbara Heath at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Lakefield. The couple resided in Mankato while Big attended Mankato State. He graduated in 1951 with a bachelor’s degree in education. The couple then moved to Cokato, Minnesota where Big worked as a manager at the local lumber yard for a year. In 1952, he accepted a teaching job with Jackson Public Schools in Jackson, Minnesota. He worked there for the next 32 years as a teacher, coach, and athletic director. Following his retirement, the couple continued to reside in Jackson until moving to Luverne, Minnesota in 1992. On Friday, September 9, 2011 Big died in Luverne surrounded by his family.

Big was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne, Minnesota. He was a longtime member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Jackson, Minnesota where he served as an elder. He was involved in the Lion’s Club in Jackson and Luverne. He was one of the founding individuals of the local Special Olympics Track meet. He was a member of the Jaycees, American Legion, and Kiwanis. He was a member of the Minnesota District of Coaches and Athletic Directors Association. Big was named to the District 7 Coaches Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Minnesota Athletic Director’s Hall of Fame in 1989. In 2000, Big was named Rock County’s Outstanding Senior Citizen. He had a love for high school athletics, fishing and gardening, but most of all, he loved his family.

Big is lovingly remembered by his wife of 63 years, Barbara; and their five children, Patrick Carrigan and his wife Carla of Green Bay, Wisconsin, Candace Wilkinson and her husband Dan of Gooding, Idaho, Sally Koep and her husband Steve of Atlanta, Georgia, Terri Bargfrede and her husband Scott of Webster City, Iowa, and Wendy Bosshart and her husband Don of Luverne, Minnesota; 14 grandchildren, Ryan, Gavin, Caitlin, and Corrin Carrigan, Amanda Wilkinson Stockham (Jase), Molana Wilkinson Busch (Michael), Thomas Koep (Amanda), Alex Koep, Andrew Bargfrede (Ashley), Cory Bargfrede (Meredith), Kyle Bargfrede (Amanda), Callen Bosshart Benjegerdes (Sam), Morgan and Sydney Bosshart; eight great-grandchildren, Elliotte, Isabelle, and Cougar Stockhom, Delainey and Carson Bargfrede, Gordon Bargfrede, Aria and Avery Busch; a twin brother, Melborne “Little” Carrigan of Mankato, Minnesota; and a sister, Corrine Hohenstein of Lakefield, Minnesota. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Lloyd, Albertus, Victor, Loren, and Weldon; sisters, Gertrude Haller, Ruth Langland, June Abrahamson; and a grandson, Michial Wilkinson.