Albert Anthony Corrigan, or “Irish” as he was known by his World War II buddies, passed away at home on February 16, 2022, at the age of 100. Al was proud of his Irish heritage. His grandparents emigrated from Ireland and in the 1870s settled in Oakdale, California, where on January 6, 1922, Al was born to his parents Mathew and Mary Grace (Russell) Corrigan.
Al graduated from Oakdale schools and was enrolled in Modesto Junior College when the United States entered World War II. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and upon completion of pilot training, he was assigned to the 60th Troop Carrier Group under the command of the 12 Air Force in the European Theater. During this time he flew C-47s, transporting ground troops, wounded, and supplies throughout the European Theater. When the war in Europe ended, he was transferred to Belem, Brazil, where he transported troops from Belem to British Guiana until Japan surrendered and World War II came to an end. At the time of his honorable discharge in 1946, Al had reached the rank of 1st Lieutenant. He returned to his hometown of Oakdale and was employed by United Lumber Company, a building material firm located throughout the Central Valley and Lake Tahoe areas, eventually becoming vice-president and general manager of their chain of lumber yards and subsidiary companies. In the early 1960s, he left the building material business to become a licensed real estate broker, opening and operating Corrigan Real Estate in Oakdale until his retirement in 2009. He was also a partner in C & V Investments, a real estate investment firm.
Al served as a councilman on Oakdale City Council, was a past member of the Board of Directors for Oakdale Chamber of Commerce, a past member of the Stanislaus County Juvenile Justice Commission and served on the Advisory Board of California Auto Association. He was a lifetime member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and longtime member and past president of Oakdale Dinner Club.
Al was preceded in death by his parents Mathew and Mary Grace (Russell) Corrigan; his wife Dorothy (Hanley) Corrigan; his brothers Matthew Corrigan, George Corrigan, Paul Corrigan and Gordon Corrigan; and his sisters Rita Clark, Jean Curtis and Ruth Gatzman. Al is survived by his son and daughter-in-law Roger Corrigan and Joyce Anderson of London, England; his daughter and son-in-law Mary Corrigan-Durr and Dennis Durr of Oakdale, CA; his son Douglas Corrigan of Oakdale, CA; and his daughter Rita Corrigan of Oakdale, CA. In addition, he leaves behind his granddaughter Alexandra Durr of Santiago, Chile; his grandson Aaron Durr of Petaluma, CA; his grandson Jaimeson Durr of Pleasanton, CA; and his great-granddaughter Kaitlyn Durr of Saratoga, CA, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his companion Inger Hedstrom.
A Memorial Mass and celebration of Al’s long and active life will be held on Friday, September 2, 2022, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 89 North Oak Avenue, in Oakdale. Please join us for Mass beginning at 10 a.m. followed by a buffet luncheon at the Parish Hall.
The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
The Riverbank (Calif.) News
Aug. 24, 2022
