Loetta Luan Corrigan
Loetta Luan Corrigan was born on June 3, 1943, to Emmett and Dorothy Corrigan, both of El Paso, Illinois. She attended school in El Paso until high school graduation in 1961, and then she attended St. Louis Webster College, majoring in Chemistry. Luan worked at Ralston Purina in St. Louis for two years, and then went back for her graduate degree to the University of Missouri in Columbia. While there, she switched to the School of Journalism, graduating in the late sixties to become a science writer, taking a job with the American Pharmaceutical Association in Washington DC, finally heading the editorial staff. Luan considered herself lucky to be working in the nation’s capital at a time when so many great issues were being debated.
In the early eighties, Luan returned to El Paso in order to care for her widowed mother, and soon after accepted a position with textbook publisher, Glencoe McGraw-Hill as a health editor in Peoria, IL and then Atlanta, GA, until 1989. She and long-time friend, and life partner, Kathryn Stromberger formerly of Eureka, IL then worked successfully together as independent book consultants and publishers until their retirement.
Luan and Kathryn enjoyed traveling, mostly road trips all over the US and also very much enjoyed England. Luan’s Grandmother was from England, and Luan and Kathryn made a dream come true for Luan’s mother by taking her to England for the first time when she was 85 years young. Luan and Kathryn married at their first opportunity on October 3, 2008, in San Marcos, CA, an event both considered the most important event of their lives.
Luan’s passions included reading, gardening, traveling, cooking, cats, birds, and knitting. Luan always made cookies for all the family at Christmas and continued the tradition of Grandma’s special jello salad. All great-great nieces and nephews have special knitted booties to be fought over. Her friends enjoy scarves and Afghans, not to mention lists of favorite books and authors. Luan was the best and the brightest, always helping without expecting acknowledgement. Always concerned with ethical questions, she has been a beloved friend and mentor to all who knew her.
Luan is preceded in death by her parents, Emmett and Dorothy, her brother Robert Corrigan and her niece Leigh Hanselman, both formerly of Springfield. She is survived by her spouse, Kathryn Stromberger Norcross, GA, her sister-in-law, Betty Corrigan, plus nieces Candace Powers and Caroline Fitzsimmons all of Chatham, IL, and nephew, Michael Corrigan Arkansas, as well as Julie Mangold Canton, GA, Allison DuBois Scottsdale AZ special cousins, Mary Kay Hingst Santa Ana, CA and Kathy Irish Ford City PA; Mike Irish Mt Airy MD. She is also mourned by loving family, nieces, nephews, and friends throughout the U.S.
Arrangements are private, but in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Melanoma Research.
The University of Texas
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Melanoma research
Development office T 713-792-3450
Unit 705
P.O. Box 301439
Houston, Texas 77230-1439
Cremation is being accorded and online condolences can be made at: www.csog.com
Private services will be held in Elpaso Illinois.
Obituary written by close and special friend Cinda Thompson
Thanks to the women of Pruitt Home Hospice, and to Sean Fagan of Cremation Society of Georgia
View current weather.
Memories Timeline
Photo Gallery
Guestbook
Sign the Guestbook, Light a Candle
Luann will be missed by all of us. She was one of the nicest and most caring person I’ve met
I will miss you, Cuz. We have shared so many wonderful memories! I will miss your openness, honesty, and most of all, your wonderful sense of humor. Love you Cuz!
Luan is loved and will be missed.
Luan was one of our dearest friend and will be greatly missed. She was an exceptionally loving smart person, always curious of the world. All our prayers go to her dear wife Kitty.
Luan will always remain within our hearts.
To Luan’s entire family – Doris and I would like to extend our sincere condolences on you great loss. Please know you are in our thoughts and prayers.
I will miss seeing Luan so much at the Y. I got to know both her and Kit and really enjoyed yoga with them. Luan made us laugh and made exercise fun! We went to lunch and on some of the Y day trips and I am so glad I was fortunate to know her. Her wit and quiet way endeared her to many. I
will miss my friend very much.
It’s a shame families become scattered and lose contact over the years. I remember our family gatherings long ago, and always having great times. Then we all started moving hither and yon….and relationships seem to suffer but life goes on. Wish we could have known each other better, in later life, still cousins, and maybe better friends.
You are now at peace, and with your Mom and Dad……my thoughts and prayers are with you, Luan.
Much love, Conny
So many wonderful memories – I’ll cherish them forever. I’ll we’ll miss you Luan. You’re forever in our hearts. We love you.
She will be missed, but always remembered. I considered her my friend.
Luan will be dearly missed, someone so special will never be forgotten. I am very greatful to have known Luan and it is the little things , the small occurrences , the laughs, the stories, the smiles and her friendly personality that I will mostly remember. Kathryn all the wonderful memories that you have will help you push the pain away and bring back the smiles. I am keeping you in my prayers.
we will miss this beautiful soul…gentle, caring and always with a smile…my prayers are for her life partner and her family may the memories of Luan help ease the pain of her going on the journey before us.
Kathryn, sending hugs and love to you. So sorry to hear about Luan.
Our family has lost a special person. I know that she is up there with Grandma, Grandpa, Dad and Leigh watching over us all. We will miss her sense of humor and her kindness. Christmas will not be the same without her cookies and booties. We will miss her. Love you Aunt Luan.
I met Luan and Kit at the YMCA. Luan’s intelligence, directness, quick and dry wit was always great to experience. I will miss one half of my dynamic duo.
Kathryn, I am so sorry for your loss. I always enjoyed seeing Luan and you together and will miss her cheerful presence.She touched so many lives, mine included.
Niki from the Y
From our meeting as neighbors through special get-togethers and countless emails, Luan was always appreciated and loved for her kindness and great good humor, not to mention her excellent cooking. Luan and Kathryn have been very dear frieds to Chuck and me and a great couple to be with. We will remember Luan with love, and offer love and support to dear Kathryn.
When we lose a loved one here on earth we gain an angel in heaven that watches over us. Kathryn may you take comfort in knowing that you have an angel to watch over you now. I extend my most sincere condolences to you.
Gloria…Y
Luan was a friend to me and great help with her collaboration in helping to correctly publish my technical material. Her thoroughness, accuracy, and insistence on checking and confirming were greatly appreciated. We had lovely conversations about travel and cats as well. Cat people really are different and she was a perfect example of how wonderful they are. She will be greatly missed.
Luan was such an incredible soul. I was so very lucky to be able to call her my aunt. She was smart, funny, compassionate, and a true inspiration. She was a fighter and so very strong. She was lucky enough in her lifetime to know true love, something many don’t get the joy of experiencing. We love you so very much aunt Luan. You will always have such a special place in my heart and I will always cherish the time we had together. I know you are watching over us all. Rest in peace.
Luan was a fellow chemist, a dear neighbor and an engaging conversationalist. I will miss her greatly and I pray her partner Kathryn will take a little comfort from her tragic loss by knowing that Luan is truly at peace. God bless.
Lu was a good person and a wonderful friend. We are glad to have had her in our life and shall miss her. Shelly and Gerry
Luan was such a strong and loving Person. A wonderful Aunt, that I am so very proud of. She inspired me to see all sides to many things. She was a loving and kind partner to Aunt Kathryn, and enriched the lives of all who knew her. We will miss you Aunt Luan.
She was an incredible and admirable person, a wonderful friend, and to me, a “big sister.” I will miss our talks and discussions on important issues and the priorities of life, not to mention the humor and laughter. She has left a patchwork of memories. Our thoughts are with Kit and the work ahead of her. I know that Luan wanted us all to go on, though it won’t be the same without her. Still, she’d say, life can be good. Endeavor to make life good. Love and miss you, Luan. We both do. Love and miss you. Catch you later.
For many years I wondered about Luan and her whereabouts as we all went our separate ways once we left high school. One thing I was sure of is that Luan went on to experience great success in her life and this has been confirmed. I am delighted to know that she also found great joy and happiness in her life.
Luan’s mother was our neighbor and we met Luan in her garden. She was an amazing gardener .She started with a small share ground and eventually enlarged it til it filled the complete back yard. My son learned from her how to garden when he was a little boy and helped him developed a love for the hobby which he carries on today. I’m sure she touched my lives. Our condolences to her family.
I am the proud owner of an afgan/shawl created by Luan’s loving hands. We shared many of the same interests and we will all miss her loving, literate spirit. My deepest condolences to Kathryn and Luan’s family.
Dear Luan and Kit, A “by chance” meeting on a cruise ship seven years ago put us together at the same dining table. Sandy and I are so thankful that event occurred. Besides introductions, I suppose the first topic of conversation was cats. To shorten the story, we spent most meals and other time together until departing from the ship. Something just “clicked” when we met the two of you and a solid friendship was in place by the end of the first dinner. Our only regret is when we left the ship you returned to one end of the country and we the other. 2011 put the 4 of us in Hawaii. Again, such a cherished time. Our love and respect for you both will endure, our time together remembered so warmly. Luan, part of our hearts went with you. The other part remains with Luan’s loving partner.
Kit, Sandy and I will look forward to visits on the phone, emails and next year a hopeful trip to Georgia for us.
Love to you Kit, love and sweet memories for our cherished friend Luan.
Oh Luan, you were one of a kind. My regret is that I did not have you in my life for many years. I met you and Kit on a cruise and we just clicked. You both were interesting, fun, you had a great sense of humor, and caring. Besides all of that you loved cats. Right there I knew you were very special, and I was right. I appreciated your kindness, thoughtfulness, support, and your wonderful cookies. I will miss you a lot. I sure hope I will see you again.
Kit,you are a wonderful example of a loving, loyal, compassionate partner who made Luan very happy. I hope you find comfort knowing that, and Luan would want you to take good care of yourself.
Luan, was one of the kindest most authentic people I know. She was easy to be around and easy to love. She will be missed every day by those who love her.
You are loved so very deeply!