Carl Herrigstad

Carl Alan Herrigstad

March 11, 1960 – October 23, 2023

Carl Alan Herrigstad was born March 11, 1960, in San Jose, Calif., to Harvey and RoseAnn Herrigstad. His father was in the Navy and the family moved frequently during his childhood, living across the country. He graduated high school in Virginia and attended college briefly at the University of Idaho before enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was stationed in Okinawa and bases stateside before being assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Tustin.

While stationed in Tustin he met the love of his life, Laura Marie Borchmann. He proposed within a month and they were married six months after they met, on November 3, 1984. They were happily married for nearly 39 years, until his death.

He and Laura have two daughters and he spent hours playing, teaching, and building things with them. He was very active in coaching and refereeing soccer when they played. He was often the first person to arrive in the morning to set up the fields, sometimes before the sun was up. He loved the outdoors and went surfing as often as possible, before or after work and on the weekends. He was an avid hiker and mountain biker, loved camping, was a talented skier and snowboarder, windsurfed, sailed, and was always happy to try a new challenge, especially on or in the water. He loved sharing outdoor pursuits with his family.

After the Marine Corps, Carl worked for McDonald Douglas and Boeing before joining the Orange County Sanitation District in 1994. He retired after 25 years at the district. He was very active in his parishes – St. Justin Martyr in Anaheim and St. Francis of Assisi in Fillmore – and was an usher, helped decorate the church, repaired things, and helped with festivals. At home and at work, he could fix anything he set his hands to. He repaired and renovated his homes, doing electrical work, plumping, replacing windows, roofing, landscaping, floors, cabinetry, and building some of his own furniture.

He loved and was proud of his two daughters Sheryl (Matthew) and Kristi (Anthony). He adored his seven grandchildren: Lilia, Kateri, Julianna, Magnus, Christopher, Felicity, and Constantiana. He is also survived by his loving wife, Laura, his siblings (Kathy, Dale, and Dan), and many nieces and nephews. His passing has left a great hole in our lives and he will never be forgotten. His legacy of love, service, and sacrifice will live on.

The family suggests sending memorial contributions to Habitat for Humanity at Honor and memorial gifts | Habitat for Humanity.