David M. Garrigan, 82, well-known surveyor of Cumberland, RI passed away peacefully in Hebert Health Center after a brief illness on Monday, December 28th.
Mr. Garrigan was born and raised in New Orleans, LA. He was the son of the late Daniel Garrigan and the late Florence Garrigan ( Haberstritinger). Upon graduating high school, he entered the United States Navy, submarine service. He was stationed at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba and also crossed the Arctic Circle. He later was stationed at Newport, RI where he met lifelong friends and his wife of 60 years, Barbara (Ranallo). While courting Barbara, her family referred to Dave as "The American" and "The Rebel". Dave fully embraced the wonderful heritage of the Italian family into which he married, as they embraced him.
Dave wore many hats as he and Barbara raised their family in Cumberland. He owned and operated several businesses, and for many years, his own surveying/construction business. He was a member of the Rhode Island Society of Professional Land Surveyors. He was driven by creativity. He was heavily involved in the concrete work for construction of the Newport Bridge. He self-built a Yankee barn home for him and his family on several acres off West Wrentham Road in Cumberland, and later self-built a home for his son and family in Cumberland. He laid out and designed several residential and commercial real estate developments around the area, conducted site surveys and designed ISDS systems for countless new home sites.
There were few rooms that he entered, where Dave’s presence was not soon known. Dave led a rich life, as evident from the many colorful stories about his experiences, which he enthusiastically told at social gatherings. His hobbies over time included motorcycling, golfing, skiing (and teaching people how to ski), traveling with wife and friends, boarding horses, gardening and raising small livestock. In keeping with his great sense of humor, he once had a litter of pigs which he affectionately named after "Minnie and the Ranallo sisters", in honor of his mother-in-law..
Dave was an avid fan of the New England Patriots and the Boston Red Sox. His Southwestern Pennsylvania son-in-law never forgave him for sneaking off to a professional photographer and posing for a portait of himself and all his grandsons, each wearing a Patriots jersey. For Dave, family was paramount. His greatest legacy is his grandchildren, who he adored and in whose lives he was deeply involved in the formative years.
Dave is survived by his wife, Barbara (Woonsocket Health), a sibling, Barbara Garrigan Ziegler of Memphis,TN, a son, David Garrigan (Danielle) of Cumberland, RI and a daughter, Kerrin McIlvaine (John) of Champion, PA, seven grandchildren, in-laws, several nieces and nephews, and cousins.
No service is planned, due to current restrictions on gatherings.