Obituary of Geoffrey M. Kerrigan

Geoffrey Moore Kerrigan, 91, of Essex, died peacefully Thursday evening, February 21, 2013 at Middlesex Hospice surrounded by loved ones. Geoffrey was born in London, Ontario, Canada on November 6, 1921 to the late Harold G Kerrigan and Francis Maud (Fleming) Kerrigan. Geoffrey joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at the age of 19, in 1941. In 1942, Geoffrey was the Radar Training Officer at the Operational Training Unit, OTU in Thornaby, Yorkshire, England in charge of 15 Canadian radar mechanics for the Coastal Command in the UK. He trained new aircrew on Wellington, Hudson, B24 Liberators, and other aircraft how to use the newest radar to search for German submarines. Crews included English, Czech and Polish airmen. In 1943, Geoffrey married Marjorie Brooks, now deceased May 13, 2009, who was a flight controller at the Thornaby Yorkshire Airfield, also serving in Scotland from 1941 to 1944. After D-Day, September 1944, Geoffrey and Marjorie were returned to Canada, where Geoffrey was discharged from the RCAF, October 1945 as Flight Lieutenant with the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal. Geoffrey and Marjorie lived in Fredericton while Geoffrey attended the University of New Brunswick. In 1952, Geoffrey was commissioned, as the only Canadian, with the Canadian Defense Research Board and on loan to the British Ministry of Supply to assist with telemetry in their atomic weapons trials in northern Australia. One such testing was named "Operation Hurricane" in which a movie was made and Geoffrey can be seen in several times. In 1958 the family moved to Winchester, MA. Geoffrey retired in 1978 and moved to Essex. Geoffrey loved to sail, and at 91 was one of the oldest active R/C sailing members in the US. He also loved to play golf, build model boats and planes, garden, and most of all play with his nine great grandchildren whenever they came to visit and he could show them his modeling shop in the basement where he would make them a small wooden boat to take home. Geoffrey is survived by his sons, David and his wife Jean of Crystal Lake, IL, Michael and his wife Kimberly of St. Michaels, MD and Brian Peter of Essex. He is also survived by eight grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. Geoffrey was predeceased by his sisters Barbara and Jocelyn, and brothers Peter and Harold. A Memorial Service will be held Friday, March 15, at St. John's Episcopal Church, 23 Main Street, Essex at 1:30 p.m. Burial will immediately follow in the Church Memorial Garden. A reception will follow at the parish hall. Memorial Donations may be made to the Middlesex Hospice Unit, 28 Crescent St. Middletown CT, 06457. To share a memory of Geoffrey, or to leave a condolence for his family please visit www.rwwfh.com. Arrangements by Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook.