Obituary for Dr. Frank X. Colligan
Francis "Frank" Xavier Colligan MD, of Ann Arbor, passed away on Tuesday, January 17th, 2023 at the age of 82.
Frank was born in Ft. Wayne, Indiana the 7th of 10 children to Joseph and Marie (Hoffman) Colligan. He entered the seminary at age 14, eventually graduating high school and college from the University of Notre Dame and went on to attend medical school at Indiana University.
Frank married Judy (Miller) in 1965. He spent five years as a family practitioner in Topeka, Indiana before completing a psychiatric residency at the University of Michigan in 1978. He joined Chelsea Community Hospital in Chelsea, Michigan where he practiced psychiatry for 37 years spending much of the time as Chief of Psychiatry. He finished his career at Livingston County Community Mental Health retiring shortly before his death.
When he wasn't working, his many interests included Notre Dame football, playing tennis at Liberty Racquet Club, spending time with family and sailing his Rebel at the Colligan family cottage at Coldwater Lake in Michigan. He loved reading the New York Times and drinking Starbucks coffee. He was a devoted follower of US politics and loved drinking a nightly Jim Beam Manhattan with his wife of 57 years.
Frank will always be remembered for his gentle, thoughtful and kind nature. He valued other people's views and opinions, even when they differed from his own. One of his best qualities was his ability to listen, whether he was speaking with family and friends, or working with patients. He could always be counted on to provide gentle encouragement and advice without judgment or superiority. He especially valued working as part of a team and often said he learned as much from the nurses he worked with as he had from his schooling or other physicians. He was truly an egalitarian.
He is survived by his beloved wife Judy (Miller) Colligan; loving children Kristin (Sergio) Scarcella, Mark Colligan MD, Molly (Michael) Maci, and Kerry (Merri Lynn) Colligan; siblings, Margaret and Stanley; grandchildren Julia, Joseph, Michael, Matthew, Thomas, Meghan, Madelyn, Mackenzie, Dallas (Nick), and Chase; great-grandchildren Collins and Killian as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Marie, and siblings Joan Robertson, Joseph Colligan MD, Paul Colligan MD, Charles Colligan, Mary Ortbals, Jerome Colligan PhD, Mary Ortbals, and Michael Colligan MD.
Visitation will be held at Nie Funeral Home - 3767 W. Liberty Rd., Ann Arbor on Friday, January 27, 2023 from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Funeral Services will be held at St. Mary’s Student Parish - 331 Thompson St., Ann Arbor on Saturday, January 28, 2023 with a visitation beginning at 12:15 and the service at 1pm. Cremation will take place privately.
In lieu of flowers, the family of Dr. Colligan suggests donations to Livingston County Community Mental Health in his honor. Donations may be made by sending a check to Livingston County Community Mental Health - 622 East Grand River, Howell, MI 48843. Please make the check payable to Livingston County Mental Health Services and in the memo line please indicate "To be used as needed; honoring Dr. Colligan”.
Frank was born in Ft. Wayne, Indiana the 7th of 10 children to Joseph and Marie (Hoffman) Colligan. He entered the seminary at age 14, eventually graduating high school and college from the University of Notre Dame and went on to attend medical school at Indiana University.
Frank married Judy (Miller) in 1965. He spent five years as a family practitioner in Topeka, Indiana before completing a psychiatric residency at the University of Michigan in 1978. He joined Chelsea Community Hospital in Chelsea, Michigan where he practiced psychiatry for 37 years spending much of the time as Chief of Psychiatry. He finished his career at Livingston County Community Mental Health retiring shortly before his death.
When he wasn't working, his many interests included Notre Dame football, playing tennis at Liberty Racquet Club, spending time with family and sailing his Rebel at the Colligan family cottage at Coldwater Lake in Michigan. He loved reading the New York Times and drinking Starbucks coffee. He was a devoted follower of US politics and loved drinking a nightly Jim Beam Manhattan with his wife of 57 years.
Frank will always be remembered for his gentle, thoughtful and kind nature. He valued other people's views and opinions, even when they differed from his own. One of his best qualities was his ability to listen, whether he was speaking with family and friends, or working with patients. He could always be counted on to provide gentle encouragement and advice without judgment or superiority. He especially valued working as part of a team and often said he learned as much from the nurses he worked with as he had from his schooling or other physicians. He was truly an egalitarian.
He is survived by his beloved wife Judy (Miller) Colligan; loving children Kristin (Sergio) Scarcella, Mark Colligan MD, Molly (Michael) Maci, and Kerry (Merri Lynn) Colligan; siblings, Margaret and Stanley; grandchildren Julia, Joseph, Michael, Matthew, Thomas, Meghan, Madelyn, Mackenzie, Dallas (Nick), and Chase; great-grandchildren Collins and Killian as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Marie, and siblings Joan Robertson, Joseph Colligan MD, Paul Colligan MD, Charles Colligan, Mary Ortbals, Jerome Colligan PhD, Mary Ortbals, and Michael Colligan MD.
Visitation will be held at Nie Funeral Home - 3767 W. Liberty Rd., Ann Arbor on Friday, January 27, 2023 from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Funeral Services will be held at St. Mary’s Student Parish - 331 Thompson St., Ann Arbor on Saturday, January 28, 2023 with a visitation beginning at 12:15 and the service at 1pm. Cremation will take place privately.
In lieu of flowers, the family of Dr. Colligan suggests donations to Livingston County Community Mental Health in his honor. Donations may be made by sending a check to Livingston County Community Mental Health - 622 East Grand River, Howell, MI 48843. Please make the check payable to Livingston County Mental Health Services and in the memo line please indicate "To be used as needed; honoring Dr. Colligan”.