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REDDING, Conn. - Dr. Patrick Neligan, M.D., of Redding, formerly of Ridgefield, died Friday, June 27. He was 88.
Dr. Neligan was born March 27, 1926, in Newcastle West, County Limerick, Ireland, and was the son of Maurice and Mary (O’Mahony) Neligan. He was raised in Dublin and attended Belvedere College and graduated from the University College Dublin School of Medicine in 1951. He completed his postgraduate studies at Oxford University in England and worked in several London hospitals. He was selected by Sir Daniel Davies, King George VI’s physician, to be the second physician to the King and worked at Buckingham Palace before coming to the United States in 1954 on a fellowship to study at Cornell sponsored by Sir Alexander Fleming, discoverer of penicillin and a longtime friend.
In 1956, he and his wife, came to Ridgefield and opened a family practice on Main Street. A year later he joined the staff of Norwalk Hospital. In 1975, he was elected chief of staff, and served three consecutive two-year terms. From 1985 until his retirement in 1995, he was vice president of Medical Affairs, medical director and director of Medical Education. In 1999 he co-founded the Norwalk Community Health Center to provide medical care to the less fortunate of South Norwalk. He served as Ridgefield’s director of Health beginning in 1970 for 34 years. He created the town Health Department to protect the health and welfare of Ridgefield residents and initiated Health Day with the VNA.
Dr. and Mrs. Neligan resided on West Mountain Road until 2013, then moving to the Meadow Ridge community in Redding. He was a member of St. Mary Parish of Ridgefield.
Dr. Neligan is survived by his wife, Veronica “Vera” (Carroll) Neligan; sons, David Patrick Neligan of Essex, Mass., Brian Kevin Carroll Neligan (Elizabeth) of Charlotte, N.C., and Patrick Neligan (Catherine) of Ridgefield; daughters, Deirdre Anne Neligan of Harbor Island, S.C., Lorna Neligan Colarusso (Frank) of Ridgefield and Aideen Neligan Vergara (Cesar) also of Ridgefield; sister, Mary Gillick (Len) of Dublin, Ireland; and 15 grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents; brother, Maurice; and sister, Winifred, both of Dublin.
Calling hours are Monday, June 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. in the Kane Funeral Home, 25 Catoonah Street, Ridgefield. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, July 1 at St. Mary Church, 55 Catoonah St., Ridgefield with the Rev. Msgr. Laurence Bronkiewicz officiating. Entombment will follow in the Neligan family mausoleum in St. Mary Cemetery, Ridgefield.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dr. Neligan’s memory may be made to the Norwalk Community Health Center, 120 Connecticut Ave., Norwalk, Ct. 06854 or norwalkchc.org.
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