Janet Forsell "Jan" Harrigan

1929 - 2025

Janet (Jan) Forsell Harrigan
12/16/1929 - 05/28/2025
Janet Forsell Harrigan, December 16, 1929 – May 28, 2025. In the grace of her family, Janet passed peacefully in San Francisco into the arms of our Blessed Mother and our Lord. Janet leaves behind her three loving children, Kevin E. Harrigan (Joel Preston), Brian Harrigan, and Gail Harrigan Martin (Jules Martin), her beloved granddaughter, Milena Martin, and dear family friend, Nancy Kendall. She is remembered by her six nieces and nephews (Richard, Christine, Theresa, Ronald, James, and Karen) and close friend Nancy Kelly.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward J. Harrigan, her parents, Joseph, and Ruth Grimes Forsell, and her brother, James Forsell.
A life-long resident of San Francisco, she was a graduate of St. Rose Academy, class of 1948, and the San Francisco College for Women at the Lone Mountain campus at the University of San Francisco.
While in college in 1952, Janet met Edward J. Harrigan, a Commissioned Officer at the Monterey Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. They were married at the San Francisco Presidio on November 20, 1954, by Archbishop Francis Quinn. After a wedding reception at the Harrigan's home in Brookline, Massachusetts, they assumed Edward's commission at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, with the Green Berets. On maneuvers, Edward passed away on August 22, 1963.
A long-time employee of the San Francisco Unified School District, she was well respected for assisting hundreds of teachers and administrators in verifying their degrees and education credentials and launching their careers. Over the years, Janet's responsibilities included staffing the Children's Centers, elementary and secondary schools and being the district's Credential Analyst and Director of Credentialing.
With her strong faith in God and devotion to the Blessed Mother, she was continually active in the Catholic Church in San Francisco, as a longtime parishioner of St. Monica's and then St. Gabriel's parishes. She was an active member of the St. Rose Academy Alumni, served as president of the Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory Mother's Guild, as a member of the Young Ladies Grand Institute and the St. Gabriel's Sodality of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. She had many religious friends among the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary and priests in the Diocese of San Francisco.
Janet's celebration of life and Funeral Liturgy will begin with a visitation at 10:30 am and a requiem mass at 11:00 am on Friday, June 27, 2025, at St. Gabriel's Church, 2599 40th Avenue, San Francisco.
A Celebratory Gift in Memory may be made to Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory, using their donation link at https://www.shcp.edu/giveshc/give-fund-excellence-ffe for Janet.