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RICHARD F., DR. Was born April 24, 1927 and died March 30, 2012. "Dick" Tonigan was born in Waukegan, IL to Henry Tonigan and Thelma Joy Morgan. One of five children, Dick was raised in a proud family on a struggling farm during the depression. Life was hard, but was met with humor and optimism. Well into the later years the "band of five", (Joy, Hank, Dick, Louise, and Ducky), had an agreement that tales were for the telling and that facts were not to get in the way of a good story. Understandably, over the years family tales have taken on epic proportions. The legend of the "band of five", however, is gospel truth. For Dick, the forties and fifties were years filled with months of boredom in hospitals with scarlet fever and then malaria, followed by his greatest joy of courting and marrying his lifetime love and partner, June Peterson. Dick's two sons, Eric and Scott, were born in 1953 and 1955. The family moved to Manhattan in 1958; Dick was accepted into a Doctoral Program at Columbia. Working as plant manager of Teachers College, Dick completed his PhD in 1962 and became a faculty member in the College of Education at the University of New Mexico in 1967. Dick's twenty-years of contributions at UNM and in the community, as well as his commitment to helping Native People, always remained a source of deep satisfaction for him. These accomplishments were recognized many times and in many ways including the Academy of Educational Leadership Award, the Cooperative Leadership Award, 1993-1994, Recognition for Lifetime Achievement from the University of New Mexico and the New Mexico Research and Study Council, Service Citation for 50-Years of achievement awarded by the International Council of Educational Facility Planners, long-term membership in the Kiwanis Club, and President of the Mile High Optimist club. Well into his retirement Dick still loved to go to small communities in northern NM to see old friends and to hear how the creation of a new school had enriched the lives of young people. Above all else, Dick was a devoted and loving brother, husband, father, father-in-law, and grandfather. The "band of five" has now multiplied to well over 45 and Dick was always there to help, as needed. Our dad never missed one sporting or school event, even when to do so meant racing directly from the airport to the event. Our dad always faced our failures with us, and he always asked, "How can I be helpful?" Our dad always saw the best in us even when we lost sight of ourselves. Our dad never dwelled on what went wrong, he taught us to focus on how to make things right. Our dad never took credit for our successes although they would never have occurred without him. Our dad led by example and a gentle and loving voice. Our dad walked in beauty. To those who knew him and who were touched by our father, you know these words only begin to describe the depth and value of this most remarkable man. All who knew Dick understood that he faced adversity and tragedy with incredible grace. In 1987 Dick suffered a serious stroke. His recovery required months of physical exercise and speech therapy as well as endless encouragement from June, his wife. Beginning in 2007 Dick lost his life-long partner to cancer, June, his beloved son, Eric, and his beautiful and talented daughter-in-law, Diane. Dick was the compass that guided a devastated family to learn to live and love, again. He so deeply loved his grandchildren Andrew, Jackie, Alex, Miranda, and Sarah. Dick gave selflessly to each one. As examples, at age 79 Dick watched Andrew's high school football game in sub zero weather and he yelled as loudly as the rest of us. Dick never missed one of Alex's soccer games and he attended all of Miranda's many dance recitals. He was also always quick to point out that Jackie was a cheerleader, in a nuclear medicine PhD program, and loved dogs. Sarah, he loved every minute he spent with you. In July 2011, Dick was diagnosed with MDS and he began chemotherapy treatment at Lovelace. The Tonigan family wants to extend their deepest appreciation for the compassionate and excellent treatment he received from the Lovelace oncology doctors and staff. Always the optimist, Dick continued to play golf with his buddies through his treatment, devoted all of his spare energy to the grandchildren, and always enjoyed a good story (regardless of the facts). The day before Dick passed away, he drove to see his grandchildren and he enjoyed a beautiful NM spring day, a land he loved so dearly and which he felt had given him so much. Surviving family members include: J Scott Tonigan, Radka Toscova, Andrew and Jackie Tonigan, Miranda, Phillip, and Savannah Katz, and Alexandra and Sarah Tonigan. The service and celebration for the life of Dr. Richard F. Tonigan will be held at Faith Lutheran Church, 10,000 Spain Rd NE, on Sunday, April 22, 2012. You may contact the Tonigan family at 505-610-0932. The family requests that contributions in honor of Dr. Richard F. Tonigan be made to the UNM Presidential Scholarship Program. Checks should be payable to the University of New Mexico Foundation and mailed to 700 Lomas Blvd NE, Two Woodward Center, Albuquerque NM 87102. Please include a note stating that your gift is in memory of Dr. Richard F. Tonigan. FRENCH 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE (505) 823-9400
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