DENNIS, MASS. — Sharon Maureen “Shan” (Ryerson) O’Hagan-Gilligan, 71, died on Friday, Aug. 24, 2018, at her home in Dennis, Mass., in the loving care of her son, Jarrod and sisters, Dee and Marlena.

Shan was born at the first Bridgton hospital on Main Hill on July 16, 1947, the infamous year newspapers captioned "The Year Maine Burned.” Reportedly, she was the last baby to be delivered by Dr. Henry Hudson. Her tenacious entrance would portent a life lived in fearless pursuit of her dreams, as evidenced by her professional and athletic accomplishments.

After graduating from Bridgton High School, Shan graduated from Catherine Laboure College School of Nursing in Boston, Mass. She then joined the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant navy nurse working at the Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego, Calif. Her duty, during that time, involved the care of the hostages captured by North Korea from the USS Pueblo in 1968, and who were released in Jan. 1969, to the care of Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego.

She moved back to Mass. in 1970 with her family. She worked at the South Shore Hospital as an emergency room nurse for several years before moving to Charlestown, Boston, where she worked in orthopedics as a nurse with Lyle Micheli, MD, the Division of Sports Medicine for 15 years, and followed by several years in Pediatric Urology.

Shan began training for marathons in her 30s, running some 30 marathons and concluded her marathon career at the hundredth Boston Marathon. She is included in history of The Greater Boston Track Club by Paul C. Clerics, and won many marathons in her category over the years, including the Mount Washington Road Race.

Shan shared her love of athletics and meeting goals, encouraging her children to participate in road races at very early ages. Years of hiking in the White Mountains with sisters, niece and nephews, skiing, ocean fishing trips, and racing at Pleasant Mountain nurtured a love of nature, adventure, endurance and achievement, clearly evident now in her grandson, Tucker, with his father, Jarrod.

While working at Children's Hospital, she and her husband, Thomas Gilligan, organized Marathons for Marathon Tours and Travels, taking numbers of people to marathons all over the world including: London, Greece, New York, the Antarctic, Ireland, France and, of course Boston (Ireland, being a favorite as many of our relatives live there).

In her retirement, Shan enjoyed traveling with Jarrod, spending time with her dear grandson, Tucker, her sisters, niece and nephews playing golf, taking her mother on cruises and to their home in Maui and, enjoying her home on the Cape.

Shan was predeceased by her son Sean Hobson; her parents Hurschel and Maureen Ryerson; and her sister Theresa Roby.

She is survived by her son Jarrod Hobson and grandson, Tucker, father of their children, Robert Hobson, her sisters Deirdre Angwin and Marlena Buzzell, and her niece and nephews Tonya and Donald Angwin, Jason and Colin Hebb.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday, Nov. 30, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Chandler Funeral Homes & Cremation Service, 8 Elm Street, Bridgton. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Saturday, Dec. 1, at 11 a.m., at St. Joseph Catholic Church, followed by a reception at the home of Marlena Buzzell in Bridgton.