Jack Tipton Riggs

Jack Tipton Riggs, 85, Kingsport, died Saturday April 17, 2010 at Asbury Place in Kingsport with his family by his side.

A lifelong resident of Sullivan County, he was born and reared in the Mill Creek community before his family moved to the Tipton/Riggs farm in Sullivan Gardens in 1940. The second son of the late Hubert and Annie Tipton Riggs, he learned how to work a farm and drive at an early age. He routinely chauffeured his father to meetings throughout the county and served as one of the youngest school bus drivers in the school system, making three runs before and after school at the age of 16.

Jack graduated from Sullivan High School in 1941. He and his late brother, Paul, were among the first members of Troop 57 Boy Scouts of America, sponsored by Glen Alpine United Methodist Church, where Jack was a life-long member.

He married Helen Grills in 1952, and they celebrated 51 years together prior to her passing in 2003.

Jack was the happiest behind the wheel of a truck or operating heavy machinery. He drove a truck for Mason & Dixon prior to joining his brothers to found Riggs Brothers Construction. From digging basements for new homes to helping carve out large subdivisions to precise grading work for commercial development he broke the ground for construction of the current Dobyns-Bennett High School, he loved taking his bulldozer to challenging jobs, usually grinning at the task before him.

Farming also continued to be a way of life for Jack. Many evenings and Saturdays were spent completing chores on the family farm in Sullivan Gardens with his children, grandsons, and other family members. He was especially pleased knowing his grandsons were there to help.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife and one brother, Paul Riggs.

Surviving are his daughter, Jill Rich and husband Darrell; son, Joe Riggs and wife, Becky; grandsons, Garrett and Alex Rich and Darren and Ben Riggs, all of Kingsport; sister, Elizabeth Steadman; brother, H.L. Riggs, Jr., both of Kingsport; and cousin, Medford Riggs, Roanoke, VA.

Funeral services will be Saturday April 24 at 1:00 p.m. at Glen Alpine United Methodist Church with Dr. Ken LaDuke and Parker J. Trent officiating. The family will receive friends following the service.

Graveside services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Sunday April 25 at Oak Hill Memorial Park.

Memorial contributions may be given to Glen Alpine United Methodist Church, 3200 Glen Alpine Road, Kingsport, TN 37660.

The family would like to extend special thanks to the staff at Asbury Place for all their loving care of Jack through the years.