Conway T. (C.T.) Carrigan

Conway T. (C.T.) Carrigan died on January 16, 2017. He was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on July 11, 1924 to Marguerite and Conway Carrigan. He was predeceased by his parents and step-father, Alonzo Camp. Conway is survived by his wife Janis Carrigan, children, Conway Jr. and Patrick (Emily) and Sue Reep (Jerry); grandchildren, Taylor and Anne Marie Carrigan, Shannon (Mike) Foreman, Allison Reep and Lindsay Reep; great-grandchildren, Emily and Julie Foreman; step-son Scott (Angell) Richards, sister-in-law Karen (Brodie) Wolstenholme; niece, Jane Kendall and nephew Sean Wolstenholme; special cousin, Lawson Delony; former wife, Bernice Carrigan. Conway served as 1st Lt. in the 3rd Combat Cargo Squadron in the Army Air Corps as a "hump" pilot in the China Burma India theater. He flew a C-47 of supplies of mules in the Himalayas to build the Burma Road and supplies of tea to the British. Conway received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Chinese National Air Medal, Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Presidential Unit Citation, Asiatic Pacific Campaign with two Bronze Stars and American Campaign medal. A well-known story was Conway flying on low fuel and telling his air crew to dump some of the mules to make the fuel last. When they asked him how, he said "Figure it out" and they did. Conway started his career as owner of Carrigan Chevrolet and Pontiac dealership in Cabot, Arkansas. He organized and was first president of the Cabot Country Club and Cabot sewer and water commission. After moving to Hot Springs, Conway partnered with James Motors and eventually owner of Carrigan Cadillac. He brought the Toyota and Volkswagen franchises to Hot Springs. He was past president of the Arkansas Auto Dealers Association. He served as the first chairman of the National Park Community College Foundation and again in 2007. He was past chairman of the St. Luke's Episcopal finance committee and Lake Hamilton water and sewer commission. C.T.'s knack with cars was well known. He bought a Model-T in high school which was being used a chicken coop and got it running all without his mother's knowledge. That was one of the thrills of his life. C.T. loved golfing at the Hot Springs Country Club and sitting on his porch on Lake Hamilton with a cigar and a glass of Laphroaig single malt whiskey. Beneath an easy-going and confident manner was a soft heart for the "underdog". His generosity was known to friends and his beloved church. Pallbearers will be Patrick Carrigan, Taylor Carrigan, Scott Richards, Tony Kendall, Mike Roberts, Bob Roberts and Mike Lax. Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Michael Frais, Robert Duncan, Pete Blakeslee and the staff of Diamond Lakes Assisted Living. Memorials can be made to St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Visitation will be 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, at Caruth-Hale Funeral Home. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Luke's Episcopal Church with a celebration of life afterwards. Interment will be in the Hollywood Cemetery, Hot Springs. Guests may register at www.caruth-hale.com.