Merrigan, William 1934-2024 McLean, Va.
By NewsPress Now
McLean, Va. – William Merrigan, of Conception Junction, Missouri, long-time legal counsel to CIA Proprietaries and DOD, passed away at 90 in Northern Virginia.
William “Bill” Merrigan, a dedicated U.S. government lawyer who served both the Department of Defense and the CIA proprietary Air America over the course of half a century in both Washington and Asia, died on Oct. 26, 2024, one month after his 90th birthday.
William Joseph Merrigan was born on Sept. 28, 1934, in Guilford, Missouri, and grew up just north in Conception Junction. He was the son of Patrick Merrigan, a farmer, and Irene McLaughlin, a schoolteacher. He graduated from Jefferson High School and in 1956 from Creighton University. In 1957 he joined the U.S. Navy Air Corps where he earned his wings in Pensacola, Florida. After receiving an honorable discharge from the Navy, he attended law school at Georgetown University, in Washington, DC. During law school he worked on Capitol Hill for Missouri Representative W.R. Hull. Mr. Merrigan was a member of the Missouri and Virginia Bar Associations. He joined Air America as Legal Counsel in 1961 and lived in Taiwan for 11 years. Between 1977 and 2008 he served as Chief Legal Counsel for DOD practicing transportation law.
Mr. Merrigan is survived by his beloved wife of 47 years, Sandra Whipple Merrigan, of McLean, Virginia; his sisters, Patricia Archer, Cecelia Meyer, and Veronica Dorrel; his sister-in-law, Margaret Merrigan; his brother-in-law, Bill Stark; and 45 nieces and nephews.
He is predeceased by his father, Patrick Merrigan; his mother, Irene McLaughlin; his brother, Donald Merrigan; and sisters, Winifred Stark, Lucia Munch, Eulalia Schieber, and Jeannie Merrigan.
A funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 16, 2024, at St. Columba Catholic Church, Conception Junction, followed by a graveside service at St. Columba Cemetery, Conception, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hydrocephalus Association, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 905, Bethesda, MD 20814-4447. www.hydroassoc.org As published in the St. Joseph News-Press.
