John William Rigsby

John Rigsby, 50, passed away unexpectedly on August 17, 2026, while on his daily run on a trail near his home in Everett, Washington. He will be remembered for his generous heart, his infectious enthusiasm, and the countless young people he helped believe in themselves. He was also one to never miss a family outing, whether it was sailing, scuba diving, running, biking, working on projects, or just good ‘ole annual family reunions.

John was born in Oklahoma City. He graduated from Oklahoma State University cum laude in the honors program with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, a foundation that would go on to shape both his career and his passion for teaching others.

John worked at Swerve Drive Specialties in Everett. Before that, he lived in Longmont, Colorado, working for Seagate Technology for 25 years, a career that took him to live and work in Singapore and Thailand.

Wherever he lived, John found his way to a robotics pit. He had a deep love for mentoring students through FIRST Robotics competitions, believing wholeheartedly in the power of STEM to change young lives. In Longmont, he spent many years mentoring Team 1619, Up-A-Creek Robotics. Team1619 became World Champions in 2022, competing against thousands of teams from all over the world. After his move to Everett, he began mentoring Team 2910, Jack in the Bot. With John’s participation with other mentors and students and his ever present guidance and encouragement, Team 2910 became World Champions in 2025 and Runner Up World Champions in 2026. John was endlessly proud of his students, not just for what they built, but for how they grew — and he loved nothing more than telling the stories about overcoming obstacles and their creative ideas.

John's commitment to physical fitness began in high school, where he joined the swim team and qualified for state competition. As an adult, he kept up his swimming and added running, and eventually took up biking as well, training until he was able to compete in and finish the 2022 Arizona Ironman. Along the way, and in the years after, he continued to run, with the annual Bolder Boulder 10K among his favorites.

To the youth in his life, and to younger members of his extended family, he was simply "Uncle John." He was the kind of person who showed up for anyone who needed him, without hesitation and without being asked twice. He will be remembered for everything he did, everything he said, and everyone he touched.

John is survived by his mother, Jane Rigsby; his father, Joe Rigsby; his brother, DJ Rigsby; his sisters, Nancy Bumgarner and Audrey Brown; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family finds comfort in knowing John is now with the Lord, and that they will see him again.