Oliver Ray Wiggins Jr.

Known to both friends and family as “Brother,” Oliver Wiggins, Jr. had been successfully battling a bout of cancer when complications from surgery took him suddenly while in recovery at Carolinas Medical Center, in Charlotte, NC.

The family will receive friends on Saturday, March 15th between 1 – 3 pm, with Memorial Service to immediately follow at Calvary Church, 5801 Pineville-Matthews RD, Charlotte, NC, 28226. Arrangements are being handled by McEwen Funeral Service in Mint Hill, NC.

Brother, 79 years old, was born on May 24th, 1934 in Charlotte, NC to the late Oliver Ray Wiggins, Sr and Nola Starnes Wiggins.

Upon graduating from North Mecklenburg High School in 1953, Brother then joined the US Navy in 1957, where he proudly served onboard a Destroyer, the USS Vesole for 2 years and later in the US Naval Reserve for six years.

Brother married his surviving wife of 57 years, Kay Abernethy Wiggins of Charlotte, NC in 1956. Upon his Honorable Discharge from the Navy in 1959, Brother and Kay began to raise a family.

Their first child, Daryl Ray Wiggins of Albemarle, NC was born in 1958. Two daughters would soon follow, Melanie Wiggins Secrest of Indian Trail, NC and Vonda Wiggins Blythe of Charlotte. Brother and his wife Kay, while in their retirement, went on to play both pivotal and dedicated roles in the raising and caring of their five grand children: Brandon Blythe, Joshua Secrest, Kaylyn Secrest, Tristan Wiggins and Miranda Wiggins. Brother’s siblings, all surviving, include Wilma Mangum, Reba Evans, Pat Lay, Vicki Starnes, Sherry Clippard and Harry Wiggins.

After the Navy, Brother continued his career as a technician for Western Electric, which would eventually become communications giant AT&T, and served for 30 years before retiring in 1986.

A patriotic man, Brother was also an avid member of Calvary Church in Charlotte, NC and loved attending The Amazing Grace Sunday school class with an abundance of lifelong Christian friends. Brother lived a highly principled Conservative life and was admired for both his wry wit and graceful sense of humor. He loved traveling to the beach with wife, Kay, and spending time with adoring family members. Brother loved the Lord, treasured his wife, and was always available to family members without question. While Brother was loved by many and never met a stranger, he once indicated that “if he was unable to attend church, he would just as soon go to heaven,” which is where he now currently resides. He will be sorely missed by his entire family, but remains as a shining example of a life well-lived.

Donations celebrating his life should be sent to Samaritan’s Purse or Charlotte Rescue Mission.