Sweetwater Reporter

JERRY DON RIGGS

Jerry Don Riggs, 80, of Abilene, formerly of Sweetwater, earned his crown of righteousness on Sunday, August 14, 2022, surrounded by his family. A celebration of his life will be on Saturday, August 20, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. at the Oldham Lane Church of Christ, 5049 Oldham Lane. The service will be streamed live at www.olcoc.com/funeral or on YouTube, search for Oldham Lane Church of Christ Abilene. A visitation will be held on Friday, August 19, 2022, from 6:00 8:00 p.m. at Piersall Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut Street.

Jerry was born on July 21, 1942 in Roscoe, Texas to D.S. and Pauline Williams Riggs. At the age of 3, the family moved to Odessa where D.S. owned a service station with his brothers. In 1949, they moved back to Roscoe where D.S. had acquired land for farming. Jerry spent much of his youth and teenage years working on the farm or the ranch land they owned in Roscoe. Growing up, Jerry was involved in many things in Roscoe, including the Boys Club, FFA, high school band, choir, and football. The 1959 Roscoe Plowboys won their first district championship in over 15 years with Jerry on the offensive line. Following his graduation from Roscoe High School, Jerry attended Abilene Christian College as a general business major. It was only after a conversation with his mentor, Dr. Overton Faubus, that Jerry decided to become an accountant. It was also at ACC where Jerry met Gwenda Carol Covey, who was his beloved wife for over 59 years. After their wedding on May 31, 1963, they finished school together and Jerry passed his CPA exam and started as a staff accountant for Shell Oil Company. Shell would move him to Midland and Houston until he took a job with Arthur Anderson in 1969. They would transfer him to Fort Worth later that year, where the family stayed until 1972. Along the way, Stephanie, Jon and Susan were added to the family. In 1972, following a conversation with his father, Jerry moved the family to Sweetwater and opened his own CPA practice, Jerry Riggs, CPA. Over the years, the name was changed to reflect various business partnerships, but it was the addition of Les Wootan to the firm in 1977 that changed the name to Riggs & Wootan, PC, the name that remains on the firm to this day.

Jerry was not just another business owner in Sweetwater, he was an active member of the community. He served as a board member or president of the Sweetwater Industrial Foundation, the Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce, the Sweetwater Rotary Club, where he was a Paul Harris Fellow. He also served as the chairman of the board of the Sweetwater Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital, President of the Mustang Booster Club in 1985, President of the Nolan County Foundation, and a board member of the West Texas Girl Scout Council and the National WASP Museum. Jerry and Gwen were active members of the 4th & Elm Church of Christ, where he served as both a deacon and an elder for over 30 years. In 2007, Jerry was honored by the Sweetwater Chamber of Commerce as the Sweetwater Man of the Year. In 2014, Jerry and Gwen moved to Abilene to be closer to their daughters and to his doctors.

Jerry was loved and adored by his family and friends. He was a wonderful example of what a Godly, Christian man should be. He was genuine, honest, generous, faithful, and caring. He was truly a good man.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, D.S. and Pauline Riggs and his brother, Leroy Riggs. He is survived by his wife Gwen of Abilene, daughter Stephanie Ellis and husband Charles of Abilene, son Jon Riggs and wife Lori of Beulah, Colorado and daughter Susan Piersall and husband Randy of Abilene; sister Glenda Fry and husband Jack of Granbury; sister-in-law Theresa Henry of Archer City; grandchildren Brittany Barksdale and husband Hayden of Ponder, Carlee Tharp and husband Taylor of Houston, Gwyndolyn Ellis of Abilene, Savanna Smith and husband John of Fort Worth, Mason Riggs and wife Alayna of Calhoun, Louisiana, Chandler Ellis of Abilene, Jake Riggs of Washington, D.C. and Greyson Piersall of Houston; plus 6 great-grandchildren and many other extended family members and close friends.

Condolences may be offered to the family online at www. pbfuneraldirectors.com. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the D.S. and Pauline Riggs Endowed Scholarship at ACU. Memorial gifts may be sent to ACU Gift Records, ACU Box 29132, Abilene, TX 79699 or you may donate online at acu. edu. Please note gifts are for the D.S. and Pauline Riggs endowment.

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2022-08-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-08-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://sweetwaterreporter.pressreader.com/article/281586654388071

Alberta Newspaper Group