Bob Wiggins, 95, of Beaumont, TX left this earth to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, October 13th at Baptist Hospital in Beaumont, TX. Bob was born to Hattie and William Wiggins on November 16, 1922 in Graniteville, SC.
Bob graduated from Graniteville Highschool in Graniteville, SC. After playing professional baseball in Georgia and Florida, he signed on with the Evangeline league and moved to Lake Charles, LA. It was there when he met our mom, on a blind date, he knew she was the one. He married Francez Ruth Broussard on March 19, 1942. Bob served in World War II on the aircraft carrier USS Bataan as an Operations Specialist. After returning home, in 1948 he settled in Lake Charles where he began working at Gulf States Utilities after working in the water department. In 1971, he was promoted to System Operator and relocated his family to Beaumont. In total, his career spanned 38 years at Gulf States. In 1973, Bob and Francez founded Beaumont Trophies, a business that is still operated today by their son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Liz.
Bob, or Paw Paw, as his grandkids called him, loved nothing more than spending time with his family which usually included trips all around the country. Francez and Bob loved to travel and pretty much saw all of the United States. He had a great passion for golf, a game that he took up in 1952 and never stopped playing. He shot his age on at least a few occasions. He continued to live alone at home until his recent illness.
He was preceded in death by Francez, his loving wife of 64 years; He is survived by his 3 sons, Lynn Wiggins and wife, Linda, of Blue Springs, MO, Mike Wiggins and wife Liz of Beaumont, TX, and Ernie Wiggins and wife, Debbie of Edmond, OK; grandchildren, Melinda Wiggins, Melanie Reece and husband, Nathan, all of Blue Springs, MO, Michael Robert Wiggins, Sarah Wiggins and fiance Tyrrell Abshire of Beaumont, Joshua Wiggins and wife Jamie, Jordan Wiggins and wife Courtney, Rachel Wiggins and Abby Wiggins, all of Edmond, OK; great grandchildren Carter and Linley Reece of Blue Springs, MO, Emma, Lucy, Ignatius, Rose and William Wiggins of Edmond, OK.
Visitation will be held Wednesday, October 17th from 5-8 pm at Forest Lawn funeral home, 4955 Pine St. in Beaumont. Funeral services will be held at Forest Lawn, Thursday, October 18th, at 10am, with burial to follow at Ritchie cemetery in Moss Bluff, Louisiana. Serving as Pallbearers will be his three grandsons, Michael Robert Wiggins, Joshua Wiggins and Jordan Wiggins, nephews, Ricky Broussard, Randy Broussard and grandson-in-law Tyrrell Abshire.
Memorial contributions, in lieu of flowers, can be made to the Wesley United Methodist Church, 3810 N. Major Dr., Beaumont, TX, 77713.
