John Borradaile Colligan

December 10, 1925 - September 18, 2005

Jack Colligan was born December 10, 1925 to Rebecca B. Borradaile and William J. Colligan in Los Angeles, California. He was raised in Sierra Madre, CA along with his three sisters, Barbara, Dolores (Lola), and Catherine (Kitty). Jack enlisted in the U.S. Navy on May 17, 1943 and served his country aboard a submarine during World War II. He was honorably discharged May 24, 1946 as Quartermaster, Third Class. After the war, he graduated from UCLA with a degree in history.

Jack married Dolores G. Gallagher on July 7, 1951 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. The newlyweds made their first home in Whittier, CA before moving to Glendale, CA in 1957. In Glendale, Jack and Dolores raised six children, Victoria, Dolores (Lita), John (Bud), Joseph, Francis (Pancho), and Edward. The family joined Incarnation parish and actively participated in the school and all aspects of parish life. The family house was alive with the bustle of six children and classical music that Jack often played on his cherished Steinway grand piano.

Over forty years, Jack worked in a variety of general management and executive positions at medium-sized manufacturing companies in Southern California. Several times, he assumed leadership of a company left to a family and helped stabilize and subsequently reinvigorate its performance. He was also able to pursue his love of horses for several years as General Manager of the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

Jack retired in 1988, first to Julian, CA, then to Las Cruces, NM, and finally to Santa Cruz, CA, to be closer to his six children. Jack had a very active and intellectually stimulating retirement. He read voraciously and was the "go to guy" in the family for many grandkids' school history projects. There was rarely a topic on which Jack did not have a strong opinion! He pursued his lifelong interest in the genealogy of the Armijo and Borradaile/Colligan families, producing voluminous research on the families' history and publishing two books on aspects of southwestern U.S. history. He was a speaker at numerous historical societies, museums and genealogical forums.

Jack was an avid traveler and visited most parts of the world through his business travels and in retirement with Elder Hostel and eco-travel tours. On many trips he was accompanied by one of his fourteen grandchildren, to whom he was very devoted. Jack collected art and artifacts from everywhere-there was rarely a unique handicraft or mask that he didn't purchase and display in his house!

Jack lived large and touched many lives across the globe during his almost 80 years. He was funny, opinionated, generous, demanding, curious, impatient and thoughtful-in short, a wonderful character! He was a musician, historian, author, artist, art collector, businessman, father, grandfather, great grandfather and overall patriarch of the family. He loved his children, grandchildren, siblings, nieces, nephews and cousins very much and they will all miss him. To him, "la familia" was the most important.

During Jack's last seven years, he was blessed to be with family and friends in Santa Cruz enjoying the fruits of his many years of hard work. He is survived by his wife Dolores, his sisters Lola and Kitty, his children Victoria, Dolores, John, Joseph, Francis and Edward, his fourteen grandchildren and one great grandson. Que descanse en paz.

Remembrances may be sent to the Branigan Cultural Center, 500 N. Water Street, Las Cruces, NM 88001 or the Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Road, NW, Albuquerque, NM 87104.