It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of John T. Corrigan of Montclair, NJ, formerly of Holyoke, on December 31 at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City. He passed peacefully, surrounded by his family as the sounds of The Rolling Stones accompanied him to the afterlife.

John was born in Holyoke on July 1, 1961, son of the late John J. Corrigan and the late Eileen C. (Moriarty) Corrigan. He was a graduate of Holyoke Catholic High School, Class of 1979, where he served as class president and student manager of the Gaels football, basketball and baseball teams. As a student at Catholic, John was well-known for having his own office and phone line in the HCHS Athletic Department. He went on to receive his undergraduate degree from Ohio Dominican College in 1983 and his Juris Doctor degree from The Ohio State University in 1988.  In September 2004, he married Zulfia (Kairbekova) Corrigan, whom he met while working abroad in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

He is survived by his wife, Zulfia, of Montclair, NJ, as well as by his brothers and sister: Brian D. Corrigan (Shirley Ware) of Centerville, MA; Eileen F. Schirch (Timothy Schirch) of Hyannis MA; Thomas A. Corrigan of Centerville, MA; and Kevin P. Corrigan (Diana Rios) of Huntersville, NC.  John is also survived by his many nieces and nephews: Caitlin Corrigan, Mackenzie Richards, Timothy Schirch, Isabella Corrigan and Jacqueline Corrigan, as well as by an extended family of truly beloved cousins in Massachusetts, California, Ireland and England.

John began his legal career as an associate at the Springfield firm Kamberg, Berman and Gold in 1988. He often cited his time there as being crucial to developing the legal foundation he would utilize throughout his career. Starting in the early 1990’s, with his skills as a lawyer peaking, John transitioned to international law. He worked with the United States Agency for International Development as well as privately and with the New York-based firm LeBeouf, Lamb, Greene & McCrae. He spent 35 years as a lawyer in developing countries across the world, specializing in conflict and post-conflict environments. His initial post was in Vilnius, Lithuania, shortly after the fall of the Iron Curtain. It was here where he became a fluent speaker of Russian and Lithuanian. He also had long-term assignments in: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan; Almaty, Kazakhstan; Chisinau, Moldova; Baku, Azerbaijan; Pristina, Kosovo; Kabul, Afghanistan; and Karachi, Pakistan. John was truly a citizen of the world whose passports are a living document of his adventurous spirit.

A dual-citizen and passport holder of both The United States and Ireland, it is clear that John loved to travel. He immersed himself in the places he would go, learning their histories, tasting their cuisines and connecting with their people. John had a sharp sense of humor and enjoyed nothing more than gathering with friends and family and conversing about our lives and experiences. A true Irishman, he was full of stories that were often as humorous as they were enlightening. As the oldest and most traveled sibling, John knew his family story and treasured his family time like no other. John was an avid follower of sports and a zealous supporter of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Boston Red Sox. Although generally even-keeled, he would sweat out every game when these teams were on the field.

John’s funeral will take place Saturday morning, January 11, at 10:00 am from the Barry J. Farrell Funeral Home, 2049 Northampton Street, Holyoke, followed by a funeral Mass at Blessed Sacrament Church, 1945 Northampton Street, Holyoke, at 10:30 am. Interment will occur immediately thereafter at Forestdale Cemetery West. Calling hours will precede the funeral from 8:30-10:00 am on Saturday at the funeral home. Following committal, friends and family are invited to a luncheon at The Log Cabin, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke.