Virginia Breit Riggs

Virginia Elizabeth Breit Riggs, of Fayetteville, Ark., passed away on July 11, 2018, at age 92. She was born Nov. 9, 1925 in Little Rock, Ark., to William James and Elizabeth (Sears) Breit. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband McKay "Mac" Riggs, her sister Kathleen Breit Upchurch, and her brother Dr. William H. Breit. Virginia graduated from Little Rock High School in 1941. She then attended and graduated from the University of Arkansas with a BA in Math in 1945. She spent a school year at Purdue University where she was trained as a Wright Patterson Cadet. While there, she drafted airplane designs during WWII. After graduating from the University of Arkansas, she married McKay on Aug. 25, 1946. She taught math at Fayetteville High School and Hot Springs High School before the birth of her first son. Virginia and McKay moved to Pine Bluff, Ark., in 1952. In Pine Bluff, Virginia became a homemaker and was involved in many community activities. She was Troop Leader of Girl Scout Troop 16. After the girls in the Troop graduated from high school, she became president of the Arkansas Post Girl Scout Council and was the first recipient of the Myra Vinson Award. She was a lifetime member of Forrest Park Elementary School PTA. She was an active member of Lakeside United Methodist Church, where she served in many roles. She was a member of the PEO Sisterhood in both Pine Bluff and Fayetteville. In Pine Bluff she was the president of the AU Chapter. She was a founding member of the Trinity Village Sing-a-Long and the Pine Bluff Symphony Orchestra. She and McKay were both members of the Rock'n Rebs Square Dance Club. After they moved to Fayetteville, they became members of Central United Methodist Church. Virginia is survived by two sons, Thomas M. Riggs and wife Kim of Bellevue, Neb., and William F. Riggs and wife Sharon of Tulsa, Okla.; a daughter, Kathleen Elizabeth Riggs of Fayetteville; three granddaughters, Elizabeth Riggs Meder and her husband Chris, Diana Riggs and her husband Todd Severson, and Mary Riggs and her husband Eddie Ward; and her great-granddaughter, Madison Elizabeth Meder. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, July 17, at Central United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, with Rev. Steve Pulliam officiating. A second memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 18, at Lakeside United Methodist Church in Pine Bluff, with Rev. Steve Wingo officiating. Memorials can be made to Central United Methodist, P.O. Box 1106, Fayetteville, Ark. 72702; or Lakeside United Methodist Church, 1500 Olive, Pine Bluff, Ark. 71601. Condolences may be given online at www.mooresfuneralchapel.com.