Obituary: Dean Corrigan, 1930-2021 

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• Courtesy Photo
• Dean and Jane Corrigan

Dean Charles Corrigan passed away peacefully on November 7, 2021, at the age of 91 at home in Middlebury, Vt. He is survived by his sister, Peggy Corrigan; brother George Corrigan; children Kevin Corrigan, Andrew Corrigan and Sarah Suggs; grandchildren, Elizabeth Moore, Dustin Corrigan, Krystal Bigelow, Dorothy Corrigan, Clara Corrigan, Henry Corrigan, Bailey Suggs, Taylor Suggs and Gracie Suggs; and great-grandchildren, Evan Corrigan, Ila Corrigan, Audrey Corrigan, Lily Moore and Jackson Moore.

Dean was born in Gorham, N.H., on September 28, 1930, to Harry and Mary Corrigan. He graduated from Keene State College with his degree in education in 1953 and went on to receive his doctorate degree in education at Columbia University. After college, he served in the Army, where he was stationed in Cayay, Puerto Rico, and helped create the Army’s first Teaching English as a Second Language Program for Puerto Rican officers in the Army.

He was passionate about education and believed that the integration of education and social services was crucial to affording access and opportunity to all communities. He helped create the World of Inquiry School in Rochester, N.Y., while at the University of Rochester. He retired as professor and Dean Emeritus and first holder of the Harrington Endowed Chair in Educational Leadership at Texas A&M University. Before Texas A&M, he was Dean of the College of Education at the University of Maryland, as well as Dean of the College of Education at the University of Rochester.

His strong connection to Vermont was formed when he served as Dean of the College of Education and Social Services at the University of Vermont from 1968 to 1979. He also worked in the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, D.C., and had early experiences as a classroom teacher, guidance counselor and school principal. For 10 years, he cochaired the National Commission on Leadership in Interprofessional Education and Practice and sat on many other national and state commissions. He published more than a hundred scholarly books, papers and journals, many of which are available for study at the University of Vermont Special Collections Library.

Dean was predeceased on January 12, 2021, by his beloved sweetheart, Jane Ann Kingsbury, whom he married on December 22, 1954. He was a loving husband and father who enjoyed being with his children and their families. Dean and Jane did everything together and were inseparable for more than 67 years. They loved to travel and cherished their time spent visiting many places in Europe, Australia, Alaska and Puerto Rico.

A service of remembrance for Dean and Jane will be held on Monday, November 22, 11 a.m. at the Sanderson-Ducharme Funeral Home, 117 S. Main St., Middlebury, VT.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to Addison County Home Health and Hospice at 254 Ethan Allen Hwy., New Haven, VT 05472.