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TO VIEW THE TRIBUTE VIDEO FOR DON CLICK HERE
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Donald R. Hannigan, age 79, of Hart went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus on Sunday, April 26, 2020 in Muskegon. He was born August 17, 1940 in Muskegon. Don was raised in Hart and married Mary Lou Falicki on June 22, 1985.
Don attended Hart Public Schools, graduating from Hart High School in 1959. He obtained a B.S. degree in forestry from Michigan State University where he became at member of the Farm House fraternity, and earned a M.A. degree from Central Michigan University. He earned a commission in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from the ROTC program at MSU.
He served as executive officer of the 518th Combat Engineer Company and assistant S 2 of the 193rd Infantry Brigade both located in Fort Kobbe, Panama Canal Zone. In 1998 and again in 1999, Don and his wife, Mary Lou visited the Republic of Panama as guests of the officers of the 518th Engineer Company, U.S. Army at Fort Kobbe. The visit in 1999 was to attend the deactivation of the unit preparatory to the United States reversion of the Panama Canal to the Republic of Panama.
Don taught for seventeen years in Oceana public schools and operated Douglas Fir Christmas tree farms in Hart and Shelby Townships for over fifty years. He served on the Hart City Council in the 1980’s and completed two terms as mayor in 1990. The most dramatic event of his service as mayor was the failure of the Hart Lake Dam during the flood of Sept. 11, 1986 and the subsequent rebuilding of the dam and lake.
Don also provided leadership during his service as mayor in the development and construction of the new Hart Industrial Park, the expanded city waste water system and Hart’s role in the development of the Hart-Montague Bicycle Trail State Park. Don enjoyed wintering in Florida, beginning in 1960. He attended Hart Wesleyan Church and was a member of Post 234 Strong Wolf Post of the American Legion. Hart was his forever home!
He is survived by his wife, Mary Lou; his mother-in-law, Dolores Falicki of Grand Rapids; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Barbara and Jack Matthews of Portage; nephews; great-nieces and nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his mother, Eldora Hannigan and grandparents, Sam and Emma Myers.
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UPDATED SERVICE INFORMATION
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A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 3rd, 1 p.m. at Hart Wesleyan Church. A private graveside service was held at Hart Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please consider Bibles for the military through the Gideons International, P.O. Box 172, Pentwater, MI 49449 or the Army Emergency Relief Fund www.armyemergencyrelief.org or a charity of your choice.
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