PAUL EDWARD "ED" RIGGS Paul Edward "Ed" Riggs, 72, of Terre Haute died Saturday evening, November 16, 2013 in Union Hospital. He was a retired plumber with Plumbers & Steamfitters Union Local #157. Ed was born February 8, 1941 in Terre Haute to John Riggs and Marie Isibelle McCann Riggs. Survivors include his loving wife of 50 years, Elizabeth "Libby" Landers Riggs; two daughters, Dawn Laszewski and her fiancé, Bill Turner, of Georgetown, KY and Britnie Antrim and her husband, Vincent, of Terre Haute; three grandchildren, Victoria McCoy, Clayton Heien and Claira Antrim; a great-grandson, Javan McCoy; two brothers, John Riggs and his wife, Marie, of Olney, IL, and Ernest "Buck" Riggs and his wife, Wilma, of Oklahoma; two sisters, Nancy Rink and her husband, Steven, of Englewood, FL and Sue Mullins and her husband, Ronald Gene, of West Virginia; a brother-in-law, Richard Landers and his wife, Mary, of Powell, OH; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents. Ed was a 1959 graduate of Glenn High School where he played basketball and baseball and attended Indiana State University before being drafted into the U.S. Air Force in 1961. He was a Load Master on a C130 Air Craft serving in Vietnam and was also an Honorary Master in the USAF Sky Diving Team having made many jumps to rescue USAF personnel. After leaving service, Ed became a plumber in Terre Haute having served as Plumbing Inspector for the City of Terre Haute and worked for Sycamore Engineering, Superior Plumbing, Freitag & Weinhardt and City Plumbing. Ed was a member of Humboldt Lodge #42 F & AM, Scottish Rite Valley of Terre Haute, Kerman Grotto, Royal Order of Jesters Terre Haute Court #45, Swords of Bunker Hill and Zorah Shrine where he was a member of the Drum and Bugle Corps, Director's Staff and volunteered with transportation in driving children to Cincinnati and St. Louis hospitals. He was a member and 6- time past president of the Sycamore Country Club, an honorary member of the F.O.P., a member of Strawberry Hill Cannoneers and was an Honorary Pallbearer representing the USAF at the funeral of President John F. Kennedy. He was also a member of Lawton Byrum Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #972 and Riley American Legion Post #328 Ed is well remembered for his love of gardening, fishing and NASCAR but most of all he loved spending time with his family. A gathering of family and friends to honor Ed will take place from 2:30-5:30 P.M. Saturday, November 23, 2013 in Callahan & Hughes Funeral Home, 605 South 25th Street, followed by Military Honors being presented by VFW Post #972 and Masonic Memorial Services being presented by Humboldt Lodge #42. The family kindly requests that memorial contributions may be made to Shriner's Hospitals for Children, 2001 South Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63131-3597, Gentiva Hospice, 3401 South 4th St., Terre Haute, IN 47803, or to Sycamore Country Club, 200 Heritage Drive, Terre Haute, IN 47803. Funeral information is also available at www.callahanandhughes.com.
