Kathy Gaskins Riggs

Mrs. Kathy Gaskins Riggs, 62, passed away on Friday, February 14, 2020. A funeral service will be held Sunday at 6:30 PM in the Wilkerson Funeral Chapel. The family will receive friends following the service. Mrs. Riggs, a native of Pitt County, was a longtime resident of the Black Jack community of Pitt County. She was a graduate of East Carolina University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Education, a Master of Arts in Education and a degree of Educational Specialist. Employed in the Greenville City Schools and Pitt County School systems for 31 years, she held the positions of Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent of Greenville City Schools, Director of Classified Personnel for Pitt County Schools and served as the Assistant Principal at Wintergreen Elementary, Chicod Elementary and G.R. Whitfield K-8, during those years. Kathy retired from education in 2011 and spent time traveling with Jeff and her dog Konrad until 2016 when she was diagnosed with A.L.S. For the next four years, she bravely battled this terrible disease with the love of her family and friends. Kathy was inducted into the ECU Educators Hall of Fame on November 9, 2019, as recognition for an outstanding career in education, with many of her of friends in attendance to see this great accomplishment. Kathy was also a member of Black Jack Free Will Baptist Church, as well as a member of the Sugar Frosted Saints from her childhood. She dearly loved her church and church family and was involved until she was no longer able to attend due to the complications of A.L.S. However, she stayed in contact on a daily basis with the flood of cards and flowers that came to her house during this time. Kathy was preceded in death by her mother, Janie Cayton Gaskins and her father, Charles Harper Gaskins. She is survived by her husband, Jeff; son, Kevin Charles Riggs; daughter, Kora Suzanne Riggs; sister, Cindy G. Boyd and husband, J.M; nieces and nephews; Wendy Bland and husband Tim, Jenna Stahl and husband Josh, Teresa McLawhorn and husband Billy, Stephanie O’Connor, Robert Mills Ill and wife Beverly and Alex Boyd and wife Morgan; and her very special caregiver, Ms. Jean Carter. A special Thank you to the Team at the Greenville A.L.S. clinic and Dr. Frere for all they did for Kathy during her battle with A.L.S., they were so kind and thoughtful during her illness helping improve the quality of her life. Thank you to the Black Jack Free Will Baptist Church family for the visits and daily get well cards that kept her days brighter. Thank you to her sister Cindy for being there to stay with her many nights and Thank you to Jean Carter, her primary caregiver, for the many hours of love and attention you gave Kathy. It takes a team to care of an A.L.S. patient, THANK YOU. Memorial donations may be made to A.L.S Association, Resilient Riggs (In care of Vidant Medical Outreach), 2310 Stantonsburg Rd, Greenville, NC 27835 or to Black Jack Original Free Will Baptist Church, 2972 Black Jack Simpson Road, Greenville, NC 27858.