Eric was born on January 23, 1938 in Niagara Falls Ontario, Canada to Edith Gwendolen (Horne) and Herbert Sanford Wigg. He is survived by his three siblings; Nelma Merlau, Stanley Wigg ( Wilma), and Kathleen MacKenzie (Douglas).
Eric was married to Ruth (Kramer) Wigg for 63 years and 9 months. They have four children; Janine Whitton (Simon), Kenneth Wigg (Wendy), Heather Huber ( Kenneth) and Sharon Bolton. After he retired, he sent out a daily family email, along with the daily sudoku. Often there was a “nature alert” ( bird, flower, snake, raccoon, lizard, etc).
He was very caring of his ten Grandchildren and two Great-Grandchildren and prayed for them each by name every day. They are Jeremy, Joshua, Benjamin (Dorothy) and Samuel Whitton; Jacob, Kevin (Mikayla), Aaron and Megan Huber; Alyssa and Leanna Fletcher; and great-grandchildren, Agnieszka and Magdalena Whitton (daughters of Ben and Dorothy).
Eric grew up mostly in Barrie, Ontario and was Head Boy at his school in 8th grade. He worked hard at a paper route and also worked in the store his Dad managed.
Eric graduated from McMaster University in Hamilton Ontario. He earned his BSc in 1960 and his PhD in 1964. After three years of post doctoral research, he accepted a position with Exxon Research and Engineering Company in Linden, NJ. He took an overseas assignment in Iran for two years and in England for three years. He finished his Exxon career by moving the petroleum wax research lab to the Baton Rouge Refinery and setting it all up. It was a nice change from catalysts and gasoline quality. He was visiting candle makers, box companies, and crayon factories. After retiring he consulted for a wax company.
This busy chemist used his time away from work well. All life is serving the Lord, whether it was as a Dad, or a deacon or elder in the church, singing in the choir or out growing lima beans and tomatoes in our large gardens. He was very interested in the gospel going out into all the world and was always involved in missions teams most times as the creative team leader. Some of his conferences are legendary.
He and his wife sponsored three girls the same age as theirs at Ramabai Mukti Mission in India. They have been able to be involved in their lives even now and have visited India seven times. Telephones and all this new technology keeps them connected with Nisha, Pranita and Manjusha and their families. They are also connected with many missionaries around the world, cross-culturally and indigenous.
Traveling, missions and bird watching can be connected. The birds show God's creativity amazingly and Eric really enjoyed that. We birded in India, Australia, Panama, South Africa and other places and were always on the look-out for nature alerts wherever we were. Eric drove a car on five different continents.
His latest service in church was as prayer chairman and he creatively and faithfully carried that out. At that church he made his own photo directory to help him connect to people. He almost always had a project going. His ShopSmith was well used.
There will be gathering to praise the Lord for the life of Eric on Thursday, May 9, 2024 at Covenant Baptist Church, 3170 S Houston Levee Rd., Collierville, TN. Visitation will be at 10:00 am and the service at 11:00 am. Light lunch will follow.
Memorial contributions can be made in Mr. Wigg's honor to:
Life Choices of Memphis, 2400 Poplar Ave. 550, Memphis, TN 38112 or www.lifechoicesmemphis.org
