Michael P. McGuigan Obituary
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday October 23, 2025, beginning at 11:00 AM, at St. Monica Catholic Church on Kilgore Rd., where the family will receive friends for one hour prior to the service. Luncheon will follow in the St. Monica Community Building.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations in memory of Mike can be made to St. Monica Catholic Church or School or Centrica Care Hospice.
Michael Patrick McGuigan, age 77, of Kalamazoo passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his family on October 9, 2025, following a lengthy battle with Parkinson's Disease. Mike was born in St. Paul, MN October 26, 1947. Growing up in South St. Paul he attended St. Augustine Elementary School and graduated from Cretin High School. He played hockey as kid and was lucky enough to play for Lefty Smith before he became Notre Dame's head hockey coach.
Continuing his education, he attended the College of St. Thomas where he not only earned his bachelor's degree in history, but also met the love of his life, Diane. His sparkling blue eyes immediately caught her attention, and he loved her cute smile, it was destined to be and on June 6, 1970, the young couple was united in marriage.
With a teaching certificate in hand, Mike spent his career teaching history in both the parochial and public school's systems. With his focus on education also came his opportunity to mold middle school and high school athletes as a coach, his true passion. Over the years, he coached women's golf, men's and women's track and field as well as men's football and basketball in both Minnesota and Michigan. He was known as "Coach" to all his students and athletes.
A man of great faith, he was raised with a strong Catholic belief structure and was a longtime member of St. Monica Catholic Church. He was a sacristan, Eucharistic minister and lector before his health prevented him from continuing. He was in the Knights of Columbus and was a 3rd degree knight.
An avid sports fan, there is not a game or match that Mike would not watch. His favorite team was the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish. It would also be safe to say that his main hobby in life was playing golf. He even achieved every golfer's dream of a hole in one. If he couldn't be on the course, you can be sure that golf was on the TV and he was cheering for Scottie Scheffler.
A man with an Irish twinkle in his eye, a dry wit and amazing sense of humor, Mike will be remembered as a loving husband, devoted father and dedicated coach.
His is survived by his wife of 55 years, Diane; his daughter Michelle; sisters: Mary Lou (Steve) Nichols and Karen Christensen; extended family D. Louis (Christine) Christensen; sisters-in-law: Valerie (Peter) Hyde and Barbara (Roland) Bergman; brother-in-law Phillip (Katherine Kubal) Hannay and well as many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Mike was preceded in death by his grandparents Ray & Margaret McGuigan who raised him from the age of 9 into adulthood; his brother Dennis Christensen; his father Jim McGuigan, his mother Mary Christensen; his aunts and uncles: Karl & Margaret Klein, Ken & Maxine Russell, Stan & Peg Capistrant, Harry & Kaye Schwarz; his cousin Paul Russell; his father and mother-in-law Robert and Muriel Hannay and his brother-in-law Steven Hannay.