Susan Gae Riggs

Susan was born on August 28, 1957 in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, the first child of David Nixon Sibley and Carol Todd Sibley. Due to her dad’s career as a Commander in the US Navy, the Sibley family moved around a lot – from Rhode Island to Connecticut to South Carolina to Idaho back to Connecticut, finally landing in Dallas, TX.

All that moving around didn’t affect her studies – she was consistently in the top 10% of her class, earning a Scholastic Sweater for academic achievements (which we teased her about mercilessly). She then went off to the University of Texas at Austin where she earned a Bachelor in Business Administration with Honors in 1979, as well as her Master in Public Accounting in 1980. She became a Certified Public Accountant in 1981, later joining the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Association for Financial Professionals (told you she was a nerd).

Susan started her career as an Accountant at Peat Marwick Mitchell (one of “The Big 8” accounting firms) before moving to Roy M Huffington, Inc (Huffco Group) in 1983, eventually making her way up to Treasurer and Controller. In 1990 Opicoil purchased Huffco, and Susan stayed on as Treasurer.

She then joined Newfield Exploration as a Senior Financial Analyst in 1999, and was promoted to Treasurer within 3 years, becoming the first female officer of the company. In 2014 she was ranked by the Houston Business Journal as one of the top 25 “Most Powerful Women in Oil & Gas” (a title that she hated, so we brought it up almost as much as her Scholastic Sweater). In 2018, Susan retired in order to be a full-time Granny Nanny to her first grandson.

Susan met Paul at Lake Highlands High School in their Senior year; they began dating in October 1974, became engaged while both studying at the University of Texas, got married June 7, 1980, and he’s been annoying her ever since. They moved to Clear Lake, TX and in 1986 she gave birth to a 9lb 15oz son named David, and in 1988 a relatively dainty 9lb 2oz daughter named Allison.

Susan was possibly the greatest mom of all time – in addition to her full-time job and attending every single baseball game, basketball game, softball game, field day, fun run, karate demonstration, band concert, dance recital, and charity event throughout the years, she was also a Sunday School Teacher, David’s Boy Scout Den Mom and baseball team scorekeeper, and Allison’s Girl Scout Troop Leader and Odyssey of the Mind coach (reaching World Finals 5 years in a row). To this day we don’t know when she actually slept.

In 2018 with the birth of her first grandson, the World’s Greatest Mom became the World’s Greatest Gigi (pronounced gē-gē; “Gigi” was Austin’s 3rd ever word after “dada” and “mama,” his babbling attempt to say “Grandma”). In 2020, grandson number two came along and fell equally in love with his Gigi. Austin and Josh loved going to Gigi’s house to swim, build Legos, watch movies, play life-sized chess, read Dr. Seuss books, and steal snacks from the over-stocked pantry.

Susan enjoyed travelling (especially to UT football games), volunteering, reading, doing jigsaw puzzles and crossword puzzles, crafting, building Legos, gardening, organizing, weekly yoga classes, monthly pedicures, playing Bunco and Mahjong, but her favorite activity was spending time with her family.

She is survived by her loving husband of 45 years, Paul Bryan Riggs, their son David Allan Riggs (Meliza Sandoval), their daughter Allison Claire Sessions (Corey Sessions) and two grandsons, Austin James and Joshua Allan. She is also survived by her two younger sisters Elizabeth Royal (Eric) of Coppell, TX and Karen Carey of Santa Barbara, CA, her baby brother Andrew Sibley (Jana) of Foley, AL, and bonus mom Sandy Perry (Les) of Jacksonville, FL, as well as her sister-in-law Sharon Riggs Hammer (Gary) of Richardson, TX, and mother-in-law Glenn Eva Riggs of Dallas, TX.

On the Sibley side, she is survived by nephews Chris Royal (wife Maddie, son Cooper) of Dallas, TX, Blake Royal (wife Katie, sons Luke, Liam, and Levi) of Dallas, TX, and Brendan Sibley of College Station, TX, and nieces Erin Johnson (husband Josh, children Callahan and Adelaide) of Frisco, TX, and Aubrie Sibley of San Antonio, TX.

On the Riggs side, she is survived by nephews Matthew Hammer (wife Jacqueline, children Thomas, Lillian, and Paige) of Castle, CO, Christopher Hammer (wife Heather, daughters Abby, Ellie, and Maggie) of McKinney, TX, and Michael Hammer (wife Amy, children James and Mia) of Dallas, TX.

Susan is preceded in death by her father David Sibley, mother Carol Todd Sibley, father-in-law Howard Riggs, and brother-in-law Thomas Carey.

Susan was beloved by all who knew her – she was the kindest, sweetest, most beautiful soul, and she will be missed greatly.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be made to made to one of the following charities in Susan’s honor:

Habitat for Humanity

Houston Food Bank

Toys for Tots

A visitation will be held at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home in the Grand Hall, located at 18000 Interstate 45 South, The Woodlands, TX 77384, on November 1, 2025, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

A Celebration of Life will follow in the same venue and room from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm and the family requests that anyone attending wear blue to honor Susan’s favorite color.

A catered reception will be held at Forest Park The Woodlands Funeral Home in the R.L. Wood room, located at 18000 Interstate 45 South, The Woodlands, Texas 77384, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.