Sarah Sally Frances Riggs

On the afternoon of October 31, 2013, Sally K. Riggs passed away at the home of her daughter and son-in-law Wanda and Will Mack in Atlanta, Georgia. She was surrounded by her family and one of her beloved care givers singing hymns of praise. She was preceded in death by her brother, Hugh Keown, and her husband, Earl F. Riggs, and her son, David F. Riggs. She is survived by her daughters, Mary Ann Riggs and Wanda Riggs Mack, as well as her daughter-in-law, Nancy Riggs, grandchildren Jason Riggs, Julie Riggs Homrich, and Marc Riggs, and her great grandson, Myles David Homrich.

Mrs. Riggs was born December 13, 1916 to M. Gordon Keown and Frances Olmsted Keown on the Berry College campus where she lived until she graduated from Berry College in 1937. In 1939, she attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville where she graduated in 1940 with a Masters in Business Education and where she met Earl F. Riggs, her husband of 38 years. They were married on September 12, 1943 at the Mt. Berry Chapel. Over the next seven years, they would live in Oakridge, Tennessee and then Richland, Washington where they adopted Mary Ann Riggs in 1951. David Riggs “surprised” them in 1952 and when they returned to the Rome area, they were surprised again by the birth of their third child, Wanda.

Mrs. Riggs began teaching school in 1959, and taught at Johnson, Model, and finally, 18 years at Armuchee High School, where she taught business subjects and was the supervisor for the Future Business Leaders of America club. She retired in 1982. Throughout her life, her faith in God and her love for Jesus Christ motivated her work with First United Methodist Church of Rome, working with numerous ministries there, including Hospitality House and singing in the church choir. She was also an active member of the Daughters of Berry, where she served as president from 1982-1984, and a member of P.E.O., Chapter J, where she held numerous leadership positions.

A brief graveside service was held at 3PM at the Myrtle Hill Cemetery on Tuesday, November 5th, with a memorial celebration to be held Sunday, November 24, 2013, at 4:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, Rome Georgia. A reception will follow in the Wilder Family Life Center of the First United Methodist Church, 202 E. 3rd Avenue, Rome, GA 30161. In lieu of flowers or other remembrances, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Berry College, Mt. Berry, GA 30149, or First United Methodist Church of Rome, Rome, Georgia 30161.