Frank Barragan Jr.

1918 - 2018

Frank Barragan, Jr., 99, a native of Savannah, Georgia, and beloved husband, father, and grandfather died on Wednesday, March 14, 2018. Born on September 17, 1918 in Savannah, he was the son of Frank Barragan, Sr. and Lottie Culley Barragan. Frank was married to Ruth Klingon Barragan, who predeceased him in 2011, after 70 wonderful years of marriage.

He attended Sacred Heart and Richard Arnold schools and graduated from Savannah High School in 1936. As a young boy, Frank loved to play golf and was respected as one of Savannah's best junior golfers. He would ride his bike several miles to the "Muni" golf course (Bacon Park) to play with friends after school. He enjoyed a life long love of golf, became an excellent golfer, and played many courses with family and friends all over the United States. He was greatly respected as a true southern gentleman by his golfing friends.

Frank graduated from Armstrong Junior College in 1938. He was President of his class in 1937 and 1938 and was also Captain of the golf team during those years. A lifelong supporter of Armstrong, he served terms as President of the Armstrong Alumni Association and as a member of the Armstrong Foundation Board of Trustees. He was presented with the Armstrong Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1994, and in recognition of his leadership of institutions of higher learning, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by Armstrong in 2010. Frank and Ruth, who also graduated from Armstrong in 1940, established an endowed scholarship fund at Armstrong.

After college, he managed both the Victory and Bijou Theaters in Savannah and worked at the Southeastern Ship Building Company until called into service with the United States Eighth Air Force in 1943. He was stationed at Rattlesden Air Base near Ipswich, England, a base for B-17s and B-24s, until the war ended in 1945.

After WW II, in 1946, Frank joined the Savannah Gas Company as Treasurer and Assistant to the President, Mr. Hansel Hillyer, and began a highly successful career in the natural gas industry. While at Savannah Gas Company, he studied law with Mr. Gilbert Johnson and passed the bar exam in 1951. However, he elected to remain with Savannah Gas instead of practicing law. From 1946 to 1967, his success helping to expand Savannah Gas Company led to his being promoted to the positions of Vice President and Executive Vice President.

In Savannah, Frank was active in many civic and private organizations. He served in positions as President of the Savannah Kiwanis Club, Associate General Chairman of the United Way Campaign, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce, member of the Chatham County Board of Education, Trustee of Savannah Country Day School, Director of the Better Business Bureau of Savannah, member of the St. Joseph's Nursing Advisory Board, member of the St. Joseph's Development Program Committee, Vice Chairman of the Chatham County Department of Family and Children's Services, member of the Executive Committee of the Savannah Symphony Society, and member of the Georgia Bar.

In 1967, he was recruited to the position of President and CEO of the North Carolina Natural Gas Corporation (NCNG), headquartered in Fayetteville, NC. During a 26 year period there, he led the company in an expansion throughout eastern North Carolina, bringing natural gas to thousands of homes and dozens of industries. In 1989 he was also named Chairman of NCNG. To honor his work there, NCNG's Board of Directors named the company's recently completed liquefied natural gas facility in Johnson County, NC the "Frank Barragan, Jr. LNG Plant." In 1993, upon his retirement Frank was named Chairman Emeritus of NCNG.

While residing in Fayetteville, Frank served as a member of the Fayetteville Kiwanis Club, Treasurer of the Fayetteville Economic Development Board of Directors, member of the Military Affairs Committee of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, member of the Fayetteville Library Building Fund, Director of the Fayetteville Board of Directors for Wachovia Bank, member of the Methodist University Foundation Board of Trustees, and as Chairman of the Methodist University Board of Trustees. In 1993, he was named Chairman Emeritus of the Methodist University Board, and the Frank Barragan, Jr. Scholarship Fund at Methodist University was endowed in his honor.

During his career, Frank also served as a Director and as President of the Southern Gas Association, as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Gas Association (AGA), and as a member of the Inner Flame Honorary Society of AGA.

Frank enjoyed memberships in The Hibernian Society of Savannah, the Savannah Golf Club, the Savannah Yacht Club, and The Oglethorpe Club. He also enjoyed memberships in the Highland Country Club in Fayetteville, NC, the Surf Club in Wrightsville Beach, NC, and the Cape Fear Golf Club in Wilmington, NC. Throughout the years, he especially enjoyed gatherings with friends who were members of The Rufuses, a high school fraternity begun in the 1930s.

Most of all, Frank lived for and enjoyed his large family. He enjoyed family gatherings at the beach, golf outings, and dinners so much. He is survived by his sister, Patricia Barragan Schreck, his daughter, Susan Barragan Fitzpatrick (John), son Joseph Bruce Barragan (Mary), son Frank Klingon Barragan (Gaye), and daughter Ruthie Barragan Clark (Preston); by his 10 grandchildren John Louis Barragan Fitzpatrick (Catherine), Maggie Tiller Barragan, Mollie Kathleen Barragan, Elizabeth Culley Barragan Triplett (Todd), Frances Elizabeth Barragan, Frank Battle Barragan (fiancee Amanda), Matthew Bruce Barragan, Robert Preston Clark, Jr., William Barragan Clark (Justine), Marianna Ruth Clark Steele (Eric); by his 8 great grandchildren Annie Cate Fitzpatrick, Amelia Claire Fitzpatrick, JoHannah Ruth Morgan, David Collin Morgan, Airlie Britt Clark, Adley Belle Clark, Beau Barragan Steele and Hampton Clark Steele. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and their families.

Frank was predeceased by his brother, James Culley Barragan, Sr. (Marjorie) of Dallas, Texas, by his sister, Elizabeth Barragan Bickers (Charles Daniel) of Gainesville, Georgia, and by his sister, Sr. Nancy Fidelis Barragan, RSM, of Savannah. He was also predeceased by a daughter-in-law, Barbara Tiller Barragan (Bruce) of Spartanburg, South Carolina, and by a nephew, Michael Anthony Barragan (Beverly) of Dallas, Texas.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, April 4, 2018 at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist officiated by Frank's nephews, Fr. Gerry Schreck and Msgr. Chris Schreck.

In lieu of flowers, friends may consider making a donation either to the Armstrong State University Foundation, The Patricia Barragan Schreck Music Fund at St. Vincent's Academy, or The Carmelite Monastery of Savannah.

The Barragan family would like to thank the many caregivers at The Oaks of The Marshes of Skidaway Island, and especially to Irene Jackson, Frank's nursing aide for several years, for the wonderful care given to him.

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