1960 – 2016

LEWISTON — Dennis Martin Kerrigan, 55, a resident of Monmouth, passed away in the early morning hours of Thursday. June 2. Those of us who knew and loved him weep at his loss.

He was born Nov. 11, 1960, in Lake Forest, Ill., the son of Don and Jan Kerrigan. He graduated from Northland College with a degree in environmental and outdoor education and went on to spend the greater part of his life sharing his love for all things wilderness. He was a whitewater Maine guide, national ski patroller, swift water rescue instructor and wilderness medicine educator.

He felt compelled to medically aid others in the backcountry and went on to complete his EMT paramedic in 1990. Over the next 26 years, he would work for EMS services around the country. Passionate about training, he made it his personal mission to prevent any unnecessary EMS provider death through education and inter-agency collaboration. On his travels he met and married Nancy Doherty. Together they had two daughters Kaitlyn and Hannah. Dennis with his family travelled the United States and in 2007 he made Monmouth, his home and last stop in life’s journey.

He is survived by his parents, Donald and Janice Kerrigan of Raleigh, N.C.; his wife, Nancy; his daughters, Kaitlyn and Hannah Kerrigan, all of Monmouth; siblings, Susan Smith and her husband, Andy, of Raleigh, N.C., Brian Kerrigan and his wife, Lisa, of Marquette, Mich., Patrick Kerrigan and his wife, Mary, of Minneapolis, Minn., and Kevin Kerrigan of Lake Forest, Ill.

Messages of condolence may be sent to www.finleyfuneralhome.com.