Brigid Mangan

Brigid Mangan passed away Saturday, March 13, 2010, at Wenatchee, WA. She was born May 29, 1926, to Charles and Brigid (Cunningham) Colreavy at Mohill, County Leitrim, Ireland. When Brigid was six years old, her mother passed away. Her father, unable to care for her, placed Brigid in the care of Our Lady of Mercy Industrial School, an orphanage. She returned to her father's home in Mohill at age 16, and worked for her cousin at McGarry's Bar and Grocery. At 19, she left Ireland and entered Nurse's Training at Rush Green Isolation Hospital in Romford, Essex, England. Four years later, she left for the United States at age 23. Brigid's first Thanksgiving was celebrated as she crossed the Atlantic toward Ellis Island - a memory she recounted often when the Mangan's gathered for their traditional Thanksgiving Holiday. Sponsored to emigrate by her Uncle John Cunningham of Enumclaw, WA, she helped out on his farm for three months, before moving to Seattle, where she worked at Providence Hospital. She also attended Comptometer School and later worked in the Bookkeeping Office at Frederick and Nelson's Department Store. Outside of work, Brigid was active in Seattle's Irish community, where she was Secretary of the Irish Club. It was at a Club social, where she met John Mangan. The couple fell in love, were engaged on Christmas Eve 1956 at the Carmelite Monastery, and married on June 29, 1957, at St. Anne's Church in Seattle. Brigid gave birth to the first of her five children in 1958. The family left Seattle in 1970, and made their home in Wenatchee. Over the years, Brigid worked at Sears Roebuck, Schroeder Fuel Co., the accounting firm of Cornell, Weinstein and Griffiths and Parkside Care Center. Brigid was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, where she was active in the St. Damian Guild. She loved to garden, travel (including trips to Ireland), visit with her many friends and stay in close touch with her kids and grandkids. Brigid was preceded in death by her husband, John; her parents; a brother; and a sister. Brigid is survived by her children, Kevin (Cheryl) Mangan of San Diego, CA, Shawn (Robin) Mangan of Tucson, AZ, Brendan Mangan and Maureen Mangan, both of Seattle and Sheila (David) Douglas of East Wenatchee, WA; and by her grandchildren, Ryan and Dustin Mangan, Claire and Joe Mangan and Mackenzie Douglas. Brigid will be remembered for her strong faith, her kindness and the inspiration she was to many. If you knew her, you loved her and she loved you. She was a loving and devoted wife, a caring mother and a true friend to many. She will be missed. A Vigil and Rosary will take place at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, March 18, 2010, at Telford's Chapel of the Valley in East Wenatchee. A Mass of Christian Burial, concelebrated by Fr. Tom Kuykendall and Fr. Seamus Kerr, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 19, 2010, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Wenatchee. A concluding Service and Interment will follow at Evergreen Memorial Park in East Wenatchee. Visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, March 18, at Telford's Chapel of the Valley in East Wenatchee and from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 19 at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the St. Joseph's Building Fund or Catholic Family and Child Service, both at 625 Elliott Avenue S., Wenatchee, WA 98801.

Brigid Mangan

May 29, 1926 - March 13, 2010