OBIT: Mr. Sammy Rigsby, Age 71, Of Elmwood
Mr. Sammy Rigsby
An Elmwood Community resident and Vietnam veteran, Mr. Sammy Rigsby, was pronounced dead at Riverview Regional Medical Center E. R. in Carthage at 10:24 a.m. Thursday morning December 7, 2017. He suffered an apparent heart attack while working with his equipment in the Turkey Creek Community. He was 71.
Bro. Tracy Symoens officiated at the 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon December 10th funeral services from the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home. Burial followed beside Mr. Rigsby’s wife of thirty two years in the Garden of the Cross at Smith County Memorial Gardens.
One of four children, he was born Sammy King Rigsby in South Carthage on March 9, 1946 and was the son of the late Jack Rigsby who died at the age of 68 on August 31, 1979 and Nettie Geneva Boulton Rigsby who died at the age of 93 on November 22, 2010.
In Hartsville on August 3, 1974 he was united in marriage to Elmwood resident, the former Veachel Irene Brown. Mrs. Rigsby preceded him in death on February 15, 2007 at the age of 68.
Mr. Rigsby owned and operated the Sammy Rigsby’s Backhoe Service based out of his home. His father taught him how to operate a backhoe and Mr. Rigsby had done that type of work since the age of 16 except for his tenure of military service.
Mr. Rigsby proudly served our country with the United States Army during the Vietnam War and was inducted in Nashville on November 29, 1965 and was honorably discharged on November 13, 1967 in Oakland, California. His total overseas services was eleven months and twelve days.
For his meritorious service he was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Vietnam Campaign Medal with 3 devices, a Sharpshooter badge for the M-14 rifle and a Marksman badge.
For over thirty years Mr. Rigsby had attended the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Jesus Name in Lebanon.
He attended Smith County High School until the eleventh grade.
Surviving is his Granddaughter, Alexis Gregory; two sisters, Jacqueline Rigsby Bane and husband, former Smith County Sheriff Johnny Bane of the Bradford Hill Community, Judy Rigsby Griesinger of Hermitage; brother, Ricky Rigsby of Chestnut Mound.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
