Beatrice Ann Duggan

After making an almost miraculous recovery from several major health issues that could easily have caused her death over the last year and a half, our beloved Bea Duggan instead surprised us all by dying suddenly on Saturday, March 24, from head injuries suffered in a fall in her home. Visitation and prayer service will be held from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. with the prayer service starting at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 29th at the Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, March 30, at Holy Family Catholic Church with Rev. Msgr. Fred Nawarskas officiating. Interment will follow at 12 noon in Texas State Veterans Cemetery at Abilene. Born January 14, 1937 in Currie, Minnesota, Bea was the oldest of six children born to Arnie and Mary Paal. She grew up on a farm (where she hated the chickens) and attended St. Catherine's College in St. Paul. She met Larry Duggan, her husband of 54 years, on St. Patrick's Day in 1955. They were married two years later on December 28, 1957 in Waconia MN, on a day the temperature never got above 12 below zero. Larry's career as an Air Force Officer took them across the country, until they settled in Abilene, TX (a considerably warmer place), where they raised their family and have lived for more than 45 years. Bea and Larry were founding members of Holy Family Parish, where they established deep roots for their children and cultivated a family of friends that have supported them all their lives. More than any other thing, her friends and family know Bea through her steadfast faith in Jesus Christ and her love of the Catholic Church, both of which were seen every day in her words and actions. Bea was a life master at bridge (she was excited to win playing in a bridge tournament on the Wednesday before she died), a real estate broker (she loved families and putting them into homes). She was a competitive bowler, golfer, and a pretty mean cribbage, spades and hearts player, not to mention spoons, Kings and any game she could play with her grandkids. It was never so much that she hated to lose as that she loved to win. Bea loved storytelling, even when the joke was on her. She laughed and loved, rejoiced, sorrowed and supported us in good times and bad with her whole and open heart. Bea's life is celebrated and honored by her husband Larry, by their children Kelly and Mike Murray of Dallas, Mary Duggan of Midland, Kevin and Whitney Duggan of Keller, Sean and Amy Duggan of Lubbock, and Molly and Jeff Lightsey of New Braunfels; grandchildren Laura, Katie, Shannon, Melissa, Liam, Frank, Colin, Clay, Nora, Hunter, Ellie, Mary, Erin, Clark, Marlee and grandbaby 16 due in July; and by many other family members and friends too many to count. We love you Mom, we miss you, and we can only hope to live up to your example. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pregnancy Resources of Abilene, 2110 North Willis, Abilene Texas, 79063 or Meals on Wheels, P O Box 903, Abilene, TX, 79604.