Glenn Riggins

Glenn Riggins was born Friday, April 3rd, 1931, in Dougherty, Iowa to Clarence and Esther Riggins. His growing up years were spent in Dougherty, Sheffield and Hampton, Iowa. Along with his parents he had two brothers Keith and Stuart and one sister Jean all of whom preceded him.

Following high school and his first year of college he enlisted in the U.S. Navy from 1950 to 1954. He was an ET-5 (Electronics Technician), and he served aboard the U.S.S. Boxer aircraft carrier during the Korean War. After his discharge from the Navy he moved to Kansas City, Missouri to finish his college on the GI Bill at Central Technical Institute.

It was in Kansas City that he met Elizabeth (Beth) Riggins at church, and they were married in 1956. Following graduation Glenn and Beth moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico for Glenn to begin a career at Sandia National Laboratories as a Data Reduction Technician. Glenn worked at Sandia Labs until he retired in 1996.

Making their home in Albuquerque Glenn and Beth grew their family first with Debra (Gleason) and then with Mike. They became active members at Girard Baptist Church and then in August of 1959 they joined a group of others to help plant Sandia Baptist Church on Albuquerque's growing east side. As a Charter Member of the church, Glenn was also elected to the charter class of Deacons at Sandia that year and he remained a deacon until God chose to bring him to his heavenly home on Sunday, September 15, 2024. Beth had preceded Glenn with her home-going in 2013.

Quiet, humble, Godly servant are probably the words that describe Glenn most accurately. And it really takes all four words in concert to paint a clear picture of who he was on this earth.

Quiet - If Glenn's picture was to appear in Webster's dictionary, one of the two places it would likely appear is beside the word Introvert. Glenn was very much a "slow to speak" type of person. By the time he said something he had mulled it over, processed it and parsed the words in multiple ways before they ever came past his vocal cords and across his lips. But as such he was very much an E.F. Hutton-sort of person in that when Glenn spoke, those around needed to listen as he always had much thought and wisdom in his words. Some would joke that Glenn was a man of few words because Beth had already used them all. Beth was as much of an extrovert as Glenn was an introvert. But they balanced each other perfectly and Glenn was the Yin to Beth's Yang - in them God orchestrated a beautiful picture of shared oneness and complementarian balance in everything they did throughout their lives and marriage. At times when Beth seemed to fly ahead on her own, she knew well that it was God and Glenn together who were the wind beneath her wings.

Humble - never one to seek the limelight even though he possessed great talents and capacity to lead out and get things done, Glenn preferred to stay out of the center and get things done from behind the scenes or the periphery. And he always maintained a steadfast subordination to Jesus. Glenn's life was a true depiction of John the Baptist's words in John 3:30 - "He must become greater; I must become less."

Godly - Glenn was as strong and devout in his faith as he was quiet and humble in his demeanor. As a young man Glenn had said "Yes!" to Jesus and the price He had paid on the cross for us to know him and accept his love and forgiveness of our sins. Glenn was committed to walking with God daily and spending time in his Word and in prayer every day. Early in the morning he would spend time at the kitchen table with his Bible and prayer list, giving the first part of his day to the one from whom he drew strength, wisdom and purpose. And he readily passed that strong, quiet faith on to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren through his clear and sincere prayers, his words of Godly wisdom and his encouragement to follow after God's Word.

Servant - this is the other place that Glenn's picture would show up in the dictionary. Glenn loved to serve! He always found ways to serve in his church as a deacon, teacher, Young Adults leader, Sunday School Department leader, greeter, money counter, singing in the choir, or just helping out as needed. But he also worked hard to serve his community at large. Upon retiring in 1996, Glenn began to deliver Meals on Wheels to those in the community who had that need and he continued to deliver these until it was shut down due to COVID - over 20 years of delivering meals!

The hit song "I Can Only Imagine" speaks to what our hearts might look forward to upon our own home-going and what it will be like when we get to see Jesus face-to-face. When you reflect on these four words [Quiet, Humble, Godly, Servant] and what they meant being lived out through the 93 years of Glenn Riggins's life, it doesn't take much imagination to think that, when Glenn opened his eyes on that side of eternity seeing his Lord Jesus face-to-face, the six words he heard were, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"