Prayer For – The Colligan family

[Larry Whitehead]

Special Prayer – Gram from the First Presbyterian Church of Redding

Serving Christ & Community since November 17, 1878

146 Years in Redding, California

 In a world filled with chaos,

we pray because prayer is the antidote to anxiety

 There simply is no greater work, no greater calling,

 no greater ministry than that of intercessory prayer.

 

 

May 26, 2025, (2025-42)

Requested by – Jeanie Holt

For – The Colligan family

Prayer for – The family of Paul & Patty Colligan. Former members of FPCR.

 

Paul and Patty Colligan

 

Patty   1948 – February 15, 2025

Paul   1939 – February 19, 2025

Paul Griffin Colligan was born in 1939 to Paul F. Colligan and Helen Griffin Colligan in Erie, Pennsylvania. He was the second of four children and the only brother to sisters Sandy, Linda, and Judy. Growing up in their small cottage by lake Chautauqua, Paul spent his youth playing with cars, reading books, and growing an imagination that would lead him to travel the world beyond. Paul’s education began in a one-room schoolhouse that now serves as a fruit stand, and continued at Fredonia State College where he studied Speech and Theater Arts. During the Vietnam War, Paul began the first of many adventures as he joined the US army, serving in West Germany, where he met his lifelong friend, Jim Morrisey. After the army, Paul moved out West to California to where he began a career teaching elementary school and earned a Master’s Degree in English at San Jose State. Paul discovered a love for acting and theater and performed in many plays at the King Dodo Playhouse. He joined the Methodist church “Minglers” group where he met Patty, the love of his life.

Patty Ann Hecht was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1948 and grew up near Berkeley California. She was the youngest child of William D. Hecht and Katherine Cater Hecht and joined sister Peggy, age 10, and brother Jerry age 8. An active and social child, Patty was eager to keep up with her big brother and sister, whom she adored. Her childhood was spent playing with friends and pets, roller skating, trying badminton and field hockey, and babysitting nephews Jerry, John and niece Julie. After graduating high school, Patty studied sociology at the University of Washington in Seattle and became a lifelong Husky fan. During the summers, she joined brother Jerry working at Crater Lake Lodge and later worked for United Airlines. She zoomed around town in her little Carmen Ghia and attended “Minglers” where she met her “best guy” Paul. In Germany, Patty sang the gospel choir and stayed active in PEO, an organization for women that she was a faithful member of for over 50 years. Patty had incredible energy and zest for life that she poured into her family, friends, and community, up to her very last days.

Paul and Patty began their wedded life together in 1968 by taking off to Germany where Paul served in his first Department of Defense school as a teacher to American families overseas. Four years later, they returned to California where their sons, Paul and Mark, were born in the early 70s. In 1979, the entire family moved back overseas and began what became a 20 adventure for Paul and Patty living in West Germany, raising their children, travelling Europe in the summers, eating the foods of the world, watching live theater in London, and witnessing the historic Berlin Wall come down. In Karlsruhe, the family was active in community theater and performed in many plays and musicals together, starting with Romeo and Juliet. Later, they hosted many traveling theater groups of Covenant Players and Patty taught preschool. When sons Paul and Mark graduated from high school and moved to California for college, Paul and Patty remained in Germany, living below castles along the Rhine river.

They moved back to Redding, CA in 1999 where Paul finished out his career as a teacher and “retired.” During that time, Paul stayed busy teaching Sunday School and VBS, performing in community theater and playing Santa at the local Mall.

When grandkids came on the scene, Patty and Paul quickly became “OMA and OPA” and never looked back. Once all grandkids were living in the Portland area, Oma and Opa moved north to join them. Tigard United Methodist Church became their new church home with Paul joining the men’s prayer group and leading the ESL program. Patty loved the music at TUMC and was a joyful choir member for many years.

Paul and Patty continued to serve, love their grandkids, and finish out their days together, supporting each other through the trials of aging, physical decline, and memory loss, passing away within four days of each other. They leave behind a legacy of love and faithfulness and will be deeply missed by Paul, Heidi, Lindsey, Paige, Mark, Melissa, Ashur, Jonah, Max and all who knew and loved them.

   

From Jeanie Holt:

“They were vital members of FPC during their time here and some will remember their puppet ministry as well as Bible studies, VBS, and Sunday School. Paul was active with Riverfront Playhouse back in the days when it was housed in a warehouse off Cypress Street. Patty was a member of the Wednesday morning women’s Bible study back when we were still meeting in restaurants.”

 

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 ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­This ministry is sponsored by the First Presbyterian Church of Redding, Board of Deacons. It is an electronic Prayer Chain. It will be sent by e-Mail to anyone that would like to have a written record of prayer requests, concerns, and praises. This electronic prayer list is designed to enhance the distribution of information to our congregation and friends.

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