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Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. expressed sadness Wednesday because of the loss of revered Virgin Islands educator and librarian Beulah Smith Harrigan. Ms. Harrigan passed away on Saturday.
“Beulah Harrigan revolutionized library services at Virgin Islands schools, and brought unique forms of education to thousands of young students over her years of public service. She was an inspirational woman who influenced many of our brightest scholars,” the governor said.
Harrigan graduated from Charlotte Amalie High School in 1942, and in 1971 graduated from the College of the Virgin Islands. She later earned a Master’s Degree in library science from the University of Puerto Rico. For 26 years, Harrigan served as children’s librarian at the Enid M. Baa library.
With the Department of Education, she worked as a school librarian, district librarian, Acting Director of School Libraries for the Virgin Islands, School Libraries Supervisor for St. Thomas and St. John. She implemented a program for bringing talented story tellers, poets, undersea photographers and other notable Virgin Islanders into schools through the library.
Ms. Harrigan served as a member of the accreditation team, a delegate to the Governor’s Conference on libraries, and as chairperson of the Governor’s Advisory Library Council for the Virgin Islands. She was an active member of the St. Thomas and the Virgin Islands Library Associations.
Beulah Harrigan is survived by her daughters Jean Gomez Bryan, Lorraine Galiber Gundel, Ruquyyah Cheryl Nicholas, Deborah Harrigan; her sister Lillie Smith Jorquez; her brother Llewelyn Smith; her sister-in-law Florence Harrigan Chinnery; special cousin Beryl Edwards; and a multitude of other beloved family members and friends, including 20 grandchildren and 33 great grandchildren.
Her husband, Delvin Harrigan, and only son, Richard preceded her in death.
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