Joseph Madison Riggins, 88, of St. Marys passed away Friday, Feb. 5, 2021, at Hospice of the Golden Isles in Brunswick.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, from the gravesite at Oak Grove Cemetery with Madison Riggins, Stacy Riggins, Cole Riggins, Jireh Gonzales, Tim Sampers and Steve Conner serving as active pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Tanner Bellinfante and Caleb Riggins. A private visitation will be held for immediate family.
Joe was born May 13, 1932, in Hickox, Georgia, to Major and Lula Crews Riggins. He moved to St. Marys in 1950 and was a deacon for many years at Church of God of Prophecy of St. Marys and later attended Christ’s Church Camden. He was a former member of the St. Marys City Council and was employed by Gilman Paper Company for 45 years. As superintendent of printing and engraving of the Kraft Bag division at Gilman, he moved to Eastman with Kraft Bag in 1987, retired in 1995 and returned back to St. Marys in 1995. While in Eastman, for a short time, he pastored the Eastman Church of God of Prophecy. Joe was an avid fisherman and outdoorsman. He enjoyed camping and traveling, Atlanta Braves baseball, Camden Wildcats football and Georgia Bulldog football, listening to the games on the radio, long before games were televised.
Joe is survived by his wife of 69 years, Anne Riggins; their son, Danny Riggins of St. Marys, their daughter and son-in-law, Loretta and Lloyd Hylton of Hahira, Georgia; grandchildren, Dana Riggins Parker (J.P.), Delta Bellinfante (Jon), Stacy Riggins, Caleb Riggins, Madison Riggins (Amanda), Great grandchildren, Tanner Bellinfante, Hannah Sampers, Jireh Gonzales, Vance Hodge, Cole Riggins, Chelsey Riggins, Ava Riggins and Christy Riggins; a great-great-grandson, Jackson Bellinfante; brothers, C.W. Riggins (Blanche), Harry Riggins (Margie), Charlotte "Sister" Moody, and Lillie Crews (Wain), all of Brantley County; and a daughter-in-law, Mary Riggins of St. Marys.
In addition to his parents, Joe was preceded in death by a son, Bruce Riggins, and grandsons, Chad Riggins and Joshua Knox.