Obituary

Patrick William Holligan
(1940 – 2023)

Known for the motto, “You are loved.” He was known as a Teacher, Coach, School Administrator, Docent, and Marine Corps Officer. Patrick William Holligan, 83, of Tustin, California, died in Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, CA of complications related to his long battle with prostate cancer on September 7, 2023.

He was born in Topeka, Kansas in 1940 to Francis and Marie Holligan, who raised Patrick and his younger brother, James to be active in both academics and athletics. Patrick graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1958. He was a golf caddy in the summers at the Broadmoor Hotel and was an altar server at St. Mary’s Cathedral. After graduation, he entered a Catholic church seminary for a year. Although Patrick realized the collar was not for him personally, he remained a faithful, practicing Roman Catholic his entire life.

Patrick met the love of his life, Barbara, in the fall of 1966 at San Jose State University at a friend’s house. The first words he ever said to her were, “Fine as wine as a Georgia Pine.” Barbara was obviously intrigued and they married on February 4, 1967, in San Jose, California. Patrick and Barbara have two children, Clancy (56) and Shannon (51). Clancy lives in Orange County, California. Shannon lives in Yorktown, Indiana. They have three grandchildren, Rory (19) a student at the United States Air Force Academy, Riley (18) a student at Ball State University, and Patrick (16) a sophomore in high school. He is also survived by his younger brother, James (76), his wife Joanne, and their two children Jeb and Jayme Holligan.

He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Geography from the University of Northern Colorado in 1964 and was commissioned at that time as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. He served one tour in Vietnam in 1964-65. He eventually retired through the Reserves as a Major in 1978.

In 1967, he started a 50-year career in secondary education. He completed a master’s degree in Urban Education from the California State University in Los Angeles while coaching and teaching full-time at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, CA. During his tenure there, he won two California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) baseball championships as the head coach (1967 and 1968). As an assistant football coach, the football team won CIF in 1970 and 1971. Several of his players went on to college and professional athletic careers.  He was inducted into the San Gabriel Valley Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2017.

Patrick was extremely passionate about working with youth, regardless of whether that was coaching, teaching, or as a school administrator. He worked in both private and public high schools and retired at the age of 78. He shared the Marine Corps values and work ethic with his colleagues, players, and students. His last professional position was Dean of Students at JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano. He treated everyone fairly and was known as a disciplinarian. He could be seen at almost every athletic event, school play, etc…  Patrick wrote letters of recommendation for students applying to the best universities and colleges in America and made efforts to stay connected through social media.

His hobbies included following: the Los Angeles Angels baseball team, Los Angeles Lakers basketball team and the University of Colorado football team, eating Barbara’s gourmet meals, and making money through investments.

A funeral Catholic Mass is at 10:00 am on September 23rd at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, in Costa Mesa, CA, and will proceed to Christ Cathedral in the garden at 11:30 am in Garden Grove for the interment and a reception.