Longtime Teacher, Coach Dennis "Denny" Carrigan Passes Away

By Travis Thayer Dennis "Denny" Carrigan. Photo via Markland Funeral Home. (Rising Sun, Ind.) – A longtime teacher, coach and beloved member of the Rising Sun community has passed away. Dennis “Denny” Carrigan, 64, died peacefully at his Rising Sun home at 5:06 a.m. on Tuesday after a lengthy battle with cancer. Carrigan was born in Cincinnati on November 5, 1952, but he and his parents, Howard and Dorothy, established roots in Rising Sun. In 1970, Carrigan graduated from Rising Sun High School before going off to college at Ball State University. He would eventually receive his Masters from the University of Dayton before returning to Ohio County. After college, Denny started out working for the U.S. Postal Service and Fernald before becoming a science teacher at Ohio County Middle School for 26 ½ years. During that time, Carrigan also coached cross country, basketball and track. Carrigan was most successful as a cross country coach. His teams won six ORVC conference championships, a Sectional title in 1997, and made two semi-state appearances in 1996 and 1997. In his first year as the boys’ basketball coach, Carrigan guided the 1997-98 team to a Sectional Championship, defeating Hauser 103-96 in an unforgettable triple overtime game. Denny is survived by his wife of 43 years, Beverly; two daughters, Molly and Abby; three sons, Toby, C.J., and Joe; six grandchildren and his sister, Sandy. Visitation will be held on Friday, May 26 from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. at the Rising Sun High School Gym. A memorial service will follow the visitation. Memorial donations may be made to the Denny Carrigan Scholarship Fund with checks payable to the Ohio County Community Foundation.