April 30, 1937 – Feb. 28, 2016

GROVE HILL, Ala. — A funeral mass for William Dwight Harrigan II, 78, of Fulton, Ala., who died Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016, at his residence, will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Sacred Heart CatholicChurch in Grove Hill, Ala.

Burial will follow at Magnolia Lawn Cemetery in Grove Hill under the direction of Lathan Funeral Home in Jackson, Ala.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. today at the church.

Mr. Harrigan was born April 30, 1937, in Selma, Ala., the son of William Dennis Harrigan and Dorine Reid Harrigan.

Mr. Harrigan spent his childhood in Fulton, then attended Georgetown Preparatory School in Maryland. After a year at the University of Alabama, he transferred to the University of Southern Mississippi and graduated with a degree in business in 1963. He was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. In 1963, he was employed by Scotch Lumber Company of Fulton, his family’s business. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, he became mill manager, then president and CEO. He played a key role in the growth and expansion of the company through the years, first with the addition of Scotch Plywood, then Scotch Forestry and Land Management, and later his personal company, Harrigan Lumber Company in Monroeville, Ala. His dedication to the forest industry led to years of volunteer service in many trade associations surrounding it. He was president and treasurer of Alabama Forestry Association as well as the recipient of its Lifetime Achievement Award and Alabama Forest Business Leader of the Year. He was chairman of Southern Forest Products Association, and a director of Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association. He served on the Forest Industries Council of Timber Valuation and Taxation, National Forest Products Association Board and Auburn Forestry Advisory Committee. Other business interests led him into banking as a founding director of BankTrust and member of Alabama State Docks Advisory Board.

His interest in education and desire to help his fellow man led him to serve in many capacities and lend financial support to various educational institutions. They include the University of Alabama, Auburn University, University of Southern Mississippi, Springhill College, University of Mobile, Bellingrath Gardens, Forest History Society, Georgetown Prep School, Clarke Prep School and Monroe Academy. He gave humanitarian service and was a benefactor to Providence Hospital, UAB Children’s Hospital, USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital, Grove Hill Memorial Hospital, Catholic Charities, Alabama Forestry Foundation, Thomasville Civic Center, United Way and others. He was a lifetime parishioner of Sacred Heart Catholic Parish and a Christ the King Medal recipient from the Archdiocese of Mobile.

He loved the outdoors and was an avid hunter, fisherman, and conservationist. Good times spent at his hunting lodge with friends and family were treasured. He will always be remembered for his wit, humility, generosity and kindness to so many.

Mr. Harrigan was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his beloved wife of 50 years, Virginia Sojourner Harrigan; three sons, William Dwight Harrigan III and wife, Susan, and Jeffery Boyd Harrigan, all of Grove Hill, Ala., and John Patrick Harrigan and wife, Michelle, of Monroeville, Ala.; and five grandchildren, Andrew Boyd Harrigan, Caitlin Elizabeth Harrigan, William McClinton Harrigan, Virginia Ann Harrigan and Elle Michael Harrigan.

Pallbearers will be Bo Cross, Dennis Drinkard, Billy Harrigan, Drew Harrigan, Boyd Robinson and Gray Skipper.

Honorary pallbearers will be John Bradford, Jimmy Butts, Mike Furr, Dan Grafton, Rex Harris, Johnny Jones, John McMillan, Ralph Neal, Nelson Reynolds, Don Robinson and George Skipper.

The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, P.O. Box 70, Grove Hill, AL 36451; Alabama Forestry Foundation, 555 Alabama St., Montgomery, AL 36104; Clarke Prep School, 20100 Highway 43, Grove Hill, AL 36451; Pilots for Christ, P.O. Box 707, Monroeville, AL 36461; or to a charity of choice.