Airline Pilot, Former Sitkan Gene Riggs Dies at Age 76
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- Created on Friday, 21 January 2022 14:34
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Eugene David Riggs
Captain Gene Riggs passed away Wednesday, December 29, 2021, in Enumclaw, Washington, after suffering a massive stroke earlier in the month, at the too young age of 76.
Eugene David Riggs was born September 5, 1945, at the Alameda Naval Base in Oakland, California, the oldest child of Everett Eugene Riggs and Laura Holmes Riggs. He grew up in Sitka, and graduated from Sitka High School in 1963.
Gene was a brilliant pilot and gifted mechanic. He began his professional flying career in 1965 in Petersburg, with Lon’s Flying Service, where he was one of the youngest commercial pilots in the area.
In 1967 he moved to Juneau to fly for Alaska Coastal-Ellis (which later became Alaska Airlines). He later moved to Crest Air Park in Kent, Washington, and flew out of Seattle for the remainder of his 26-year career with Alaska Airlines.
After retiring from commercial flying, he moved back to Alaska and settled in Big Lake, on an air strip where he lived until medical needs took him back to Washington, in 2021.
He was a big kid with big toys, a great storyteller, and made friends wherever he went. When he wasn’t flying jets, he was flying (or repairing) one of his or his friends’ planes, fishing, or, in the early years, hunting.
Other adventures include twice competing in the Iron Dog, the world’s longest snowmobile race, as well as some extensive motorcycle road trips.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Johnny Lee Riggs, and his nephew, Wayde Leonard Luce.
He is survived by his five children: daughters Billie Riggs Otto (Steve) of Tacoma, Washington, Camille Marie Brandon (John) of Black Diamond, Washington, and Amanda Failing (Adam) of Wasilla; and sons Everett Eugene Riggs (Amanda) of Buckley, Washington, and Eugene David Riggs Jr. of Shoreline, Washington.
He also is survived by his brother, Robert Everett Riggs (Lucy) of Emmett, Idaho; sister Marilyn Luce (Norman) of Nevada; nieces Sandi Riggs, Kelli Eliason and Leah Luce; nephews Robert Everett Riggs Jr., Dale, Nathan and Scott Luce; and nine grandchildren.
Plans are being made to celebrate Gene’s life in the spring.
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