Frances Myska Carrigan

Carrigan, Frances 2/5/1928 - 7/25/2015 Ann Arbor, MI Frances Adelle Myska (Felbeck) Carrigan died peacefully on July 25, 2015 at the age of 87. Frances was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on February 5, 1928 to Alfred and Harriet Myska. She and her family lived on a farm near the small town of Rutland in rural Massachusetts. Young Frances showed remarkable musical talent at a very young age when she began serious study of the piano. She performed piano concertos with area orchestras during her early teen years and went on to study at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where she majored in piano and organ performance with an emphasis on chamber music. After graduation Fran worked as a church organist before marrying David K. Felbeck. They had 3 children and eventually moved to Ann Arbor, living in the Burns Park district. Frances always had a serious passion for education and decided to run for the Ann Arbor Board of Education, winning a position as Trustee and was the only woman on the Board at that time. Several years later she enrolled at the University of Michigan to earn her Master's degree in Elementary Education. She then launched a second career as a teacher in Ann Arbor first teaching at Dicken Elementary School and then Burns Park Elementary. Fran loved teaching and truly excelled at it because of the great love she had for all of her students. Frances married Robert G. Carrigan, Jr. in 1975 and was happily married to him until his death in 2009. Fran lived her last years in Glacier Hills and Chelsea Retirement Communities, surrounded by kind and supportive friends, staff and her cat, Emmie. Frances loved music, teaching, animals, travel, flowers, cooking, Prague, New England history and the Tanglewood Music Center. She is survived by her children: Susan Felbeck Schreiber (David), Peter G. Felbeck, and Jeffrey L. Felbeck (Rachel); her grandchildren: Stefan D. Felbeck, Benjamin J. Schreiber and Jeremy S. Felbeck; her brother Frank Myska, Sr. (Marion) and many well-loved Myska and Carrigan nieces and nephews. A memorial service for Frances will be held on Sunday, August 9, 2015 at 4:00 pm at Temple Beth Emeth, 2309 Packard St., Ann Arbor. A second memorial service is planned for later in the year in Massachusetts. May her memory be for a Blessing.