Michael Ambrose Harrigan

Michael Sr. and Rose (Foley) welcomed Michael on November 30, 1930, in the Hamlet of Shepard, Alberta. Michael lived and worked on the family quarter section in Shepard with his 10 siblings. He began his education at the Shepard Community Hall. It was here, among the prairies and wide open skies, that his love of country life first took root.

Michael was a man of faith. Raised in rural Alberta amid the challenges and hardships of life in Shepard during the Depression, he was shaped by resilience, community, and a deep trust in God. With his beloved wife Noreen, he raised three children while contributing a life of service to the church and the wider community. He passed on his faith and principles of life to his children. He was proud of his Irish heritage, a fifth generation descendant of County Cork, Ireland, dating back to 1792.

A true entrepreneur at heart, Michael built his life through hard work and determination. He began on the family farm before moving into construction, and later became a realtor in Calgary. Never one to stop dreaming, with his wife Noreen he opened two Mexican gift stores in Calgary before relocating to British Columbia with his family, settling on a hobby farm on Matsqui Prairie — where their three children were raised. It was here that he founded his own construction company. In everything he pursued, his word was his bond and his promises were unbreakable.

In 1998, Michael moved to Nanaimo along with his second wife Gay, where in his retirement years he returned to his favourite things — spending time in his barn, tending to his apple trees and gardens, feeding his hummingbird friends, and being with his family and grandchildren at his home on Doumont Road, Nanaimo. Michael loved to golf, play hockey, and barbecue with friends and family, and travelled well into his 80s. His favourite place at the end of every day was in his rocking chair in the sunroom with Gay, watching the sunset over Brannen Lake.

Perhaps his most lasting legacy began in 1968, when Michael began a decades-long commitment as a Sponsor at Alcoholics Anonymous — a ministry of compassion he carried for nearly 60 years. The Abbotsford Alano Club Society recognized Michael with a Lifetime Membership, honoring his extraordinary dedication from the Club’s very beginning. His contribution of time, talent, and resources in founding and sustaining the Club left a lasting legacy, and his interest and inspiration continued to be a source of strength to all its members. In Nanaimo, Michael was one of the main members who contributed to By the Groups, For the Groups: Following AA’s democratic principles, he helped groups pool their resources, drafted a constitution, and legally registered the Mid-Island Intergroup Society (MIIS). Today, the MIIS coordinates a total of 139 active weekly meetings across its entire shared service region on Vancouver Island. Through patience, an unshakeable belief in people, and his own hard-won wisdom, he transformed countless lives, never giving up on anyone, no matter their struggle. He is gratefully remembered by many.

A devoted Catholic, Michael was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Nanaimo. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and of the Rotary Club since 1955.

Michael believed deeply in a few simple truths he passed on to all who knew him:

“The important thing in life is acceptance — once you accept things, it all becomes very easy.”

“The only way to have a friend is to be a friend.”

“You’ve got to show up.”

He lived every one of those words.

Michael is lovingly survived by his son Patrick Michael and wife Liza, of San Juan, P.R., and their daughter Gabriela Noreen, of New York, N.Y.; his daughter Michele Kathleen, her husband James, and granddaughter Tara Patricia, all of Calgary, AB.; and his son Daniel Joseph and wife Nahyeli, of San Juan, P.R., and their daughter Natalia, of Boston, Mass. He is further survived by his stepdaughters Donna Bouvette (Ron), of Campbell River, B.C., and Barb Wall (Ben), of Fort St. John, B.C., and their families.

Michael was predeceased by Noreen Patricia (McGuire), mother of his children, and his wife Gay (Guthrie); his parents, Michael Sr. and Rose (Foley); his brothers, Patrick, Peter, John, and James; and his sisters, Sister Rosemary OSU, Sister Rita OSU, Madeleine Bushell, Ellen Richardson, Theresa Fennessey, and Florence Saunders.

Michael’s family gratefully recalls the many friends who supported him in his final years. They especially call to mind his close friends, the home care staff who developed a personal and caring relationship with Michael, and his physicians who took a caring interest in his well-being.

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In accordance with his wishes, a private Rite of Committal has taken place at Hazelwood Cemetery, Abbotsford, B.C.

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Rest in peace, Pops. You showed up — every single time.

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Donations in memory of Michael Ambrose may be made to Alcoholics Anonymous or to the charity of your choice.