William N. Riggan, Jr. | Eastern North Carolina Now

Born: Feb. 9, 1950, Died: Nov. 29, 2014

    Loving husband, father and grandfather, William N. Riggan, Jr., passed away peacefully with his family at his side, on Saturday, November 29, 2014, at the age of 64, after a brief battle with cancer.

    Mass of Christian burial will be held on Wednesday, December 3, 2014, at 11:00 am at Holy Family Catholic Church in Ovid, Michigan. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 from 2:00 - 8:00 pm at Smith Family Funeral Homes, Elsie Chapel. Rosary will be prayed Tuesday evening at 7:00 pm at the funeral home. Rev. Fr. Duaine H. Pamment and Rev. Fr. Ray Urbanek will officiate with burial at Riverside Cemetery, Elsie, Michigan.

    Bill was born in Oxford, North Carolina, at home, on February 9, 1950, the son of Joyce (Lanier) Hudgins and Robert E. Hudgins. He graduated from Cary Public Schools and attended North Carolina State University for a brief time before entering the Air Force and serving for four years. He worked for almost 40 years for AT&T, currently as a regional executive in Lansing, Michigan.

    On January 29, 1972, Bill married Vicki Cerny in Bannister, Michigan. After living in Florida, North Carolina and St. Johns, Michigan, they settled into their life-long home in Ovid, Michigan. There, they raised three children, Angie (Riggan) Kemppainen, Nick Riggan and Ben Riggan, and welcomed grandsons Joe and Sam Kemppainen.

    Bill was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Ovid and was an avid golfer, fisherman and hunter. He had a special love for his dog Zoey, cat Kitty and grand-dog Remy.

    He is survived by his wife Vicki, daughter Angie and son-in law Brian Kemppainen, of Laingsburg, Michigan; son Nick, of Chicago, Illinois; son Ben and daughter-in-law Megan Riggan, of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan; grandsons Joe and Sam, mother-in-law Mary Cerny, Elsie, Michigan; brothers Gene (Martha) Hudgins, Apex, North Carolina; and Clark Hudgins, Raleigh, North Carolina; sisters Carlotta Eanes Washington, North Carolina; and Jo (Rick) Prince, Cary, North Carolina; brothers-in-law Tom Cerny, Elsie, Michigan; and Dave (Tawny) Cerny, Lansing, Michigan; sister-in-law Jane (Doug) McCallister, Ovid, Michigan; and nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles.

    He was predeceased by his mother Joyce, father Bob, Sister Gayle Hudgins, father-in-law Charlie Cerny, sister-in-law Debbie Cerny and close friend, Rudy Doubrava.

    Memorials may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project or a charity of the donor's choice. Online condolences may be sent to: smithfamilyfuneralhomes.com