Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 2 p.m. in La Chapelle de Martin & Castille in Lafayette, for Norma Nell Domangue Colligan, 89, who passed away on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, at Garden View Assisted Living in Lafayette.
The family requested that visitation be observed on Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 10:30 a.m. until time of services. A Rosary was recited on Wednesday morning at 11:30 a.m. in Martin & Castille’s Downtown Location.
Entombment was held in the Peace Chapel Mausoleum at Lafayette Memorial Park Cemetery.
Reverend Howard J. Blessing officiated and conducted the funeral services.
Survivors include her beloved husband of 66 years, James “Jim” A. Colligan; her daughter, Elaine Colligan; two sons, Kevin J. Colligan (Donna), and Timothy A. Colligan; four grandchildren, Amanda Colligan Glombowski (Jeremy), Julia Colligan Law (Jaime), Zachary Colligan, and Chilson Colligan; two great-grandchildren, Levi James Glombowski and Ryan Glombowski; and one sister, Patricia Kordonoway.
Nell was preceded in death by her parents, Easton Jean Domangue and Lillian Marie Fangue Domangue; two sisters, Shirley M. Broussard and Ruby Varnam; and her brothers, Gerald Domangue and Harris Domangue.
Nell Colligan, a beloved native of Morgan City, spent 38 years as a cherished resident of Cameron before retiring to Lafayette in 1997 until her passing. Nell’s journey was marked by a dedication to nursing and community service, leaving an indelible mark on all who knew her.
A graduate of Morgan City High School, Charity Hospital School of Nursing, and St. Joseph’s College in Windham, Maine, Nell earned her bachelors degree in nursing, exemplifying her commitment to excellence in healthcare. She dedicated her professional life to the Cameron Parish School Board as a School Nurse, tirelessly serving all seven schools within the parish until her retirement.
Nell’s contributions extended beyond her nursing career. As a parishioner of St. Mary’s Church, she found solace and community in her faith. She was an active member of the New Acadians, Charity Nursing School Alumni Association, and the Louisiana School Nurses Organization, where her dedication was recognized with the prestigious School Nurse of the Year award in 1989.
A gifted writer, Nell shared her talents with the community as a contributing writer for the Cameron Pilot Newspaper, offering a platform for dispersed residents to reconnect through her column, Where are You Now, during the aftermath of Hurricane Rita. Nell’s love for sewing, writing poetry, and gardening further enriched her life and those around her.
Together with her husband, Jim, Nell volunteered at the Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic, embodying their shared commitment to serving others. Her legacy of compassion, dedication, and community spirit will forever be cherished by all whose lives she touched.
In honoring Nell’s memory, let us carry forward her legacy of kindness and service, ensuring that her spirit lives on in acts of love and generosity.
Pallbearers were Kevin Colligan, Timothy Colligan, Jaime Law, R. J. Breaux, Alan McCall, and Freddie Triche.
Special thanks to the staff at both Garden View Assisted Living and Hospice of Acadiana.
Memorial contributions may be made in memory of Nell Colligan to:
American Heart Association, 1-800-242-8721, P.O. Box 840692, Dallas TX 75284-0692,
https://www.heart.org/en/ – or –
Alzheimers Association, 800-272-3900, 225 N. Michigan Ave., Fl. 17, Chicago, IL 60601, https://www.alz.org/
(Paid Memorial)