Person:Victor Harrigan (1)

From conversations with Katie Scheideman (Nov 28, 2004), and family records:

Victor was raised as a small child by his aunt Edith in Michigan, because his mother was too devoted to her career as a school teacher (she did what today would be called "special education"). Katie has a whole photo album about Victor, along with many items tucked into it. Included is a note, written by him as a small child (say 2nd-3rd grade) "Dear Mom, I was very happy to get your letter. I hope you will come and visit soon." There was also a grade school report card for 6th grade from El Centro CA. Having grown up together and being almost the same age, Katie and Victor were like brother and sister.

Victor served in the Navy during WWII, and was in Hawaii and Saipan. He had an honorable discharge, and the certificate is there. There are also photos in his uniform, a v-mail, and photos from Hawaii. One photo is written on the back: "Victor age 19, 1945, 6', 175 pounds".

There is an article from 1951 in an Adventist youth magazine recounting the story of his death. He had been to a sporting event in Chico on a Saturday night, and was driving home alone. At a place in the highway where there was a sharp right-angle turn, he apparently lost control of the car, and spun and rolled. From blood trail, they could see that he survived the roll, walked around the car, started walking in one direction, and then started walking in another direction toward home. He was found the next day, head on his arm, lying a short distance from the car, dead from injuries. According to the story, he had been having premonitions of his death, making cryptic comments to his father that he didn't think he would be around for much longer. The day before he died, he went into town and settled some small debts that he had, and then told his father that all his debts were taken care of. The story said that he had been religious when he was younger, but had fallen away somewhat in the last few years of his life (he had switched from an Adventist college to a secular school), but felt something missing and like he wanted to come back. It is said he planned to return to the Adventist school the next semester.

In 1991, his mother (having lost both son and husband by then) made a major donation to Andrews University to fund the construction of Harrigan Hall for the College of Technology, in honor of Victor and his father Bud.

1. ↑ ^1.0 1.1 Ashley, Kennerley Comstock. Ashley, Kennerley Comstock, notes. (unpublished).

   "Victor Bernard died Dec 11 1949 at college age, of unexplained causes under mysterious circumstances, most likely an automobile mishap that left no trace."

2. ↑ ^2.0 2.1 California Death Records Index. (rootsweb.com)
   SSN 573-20-0733, 1949.

   Bernard Victor [sic] Harrigan, b 10 Jun 1926 CA, d 11 Dec 1949 Glenn Cty, age 23
   mother maiden name Sanderson, father name Harrigan