George Jiggetts Sr.

George Jeggetts was called home Friday, August 6, 2010. George was born on June 30, 1921 in Palmer Springs, Virginia to Ola Hughes and Andrew Jiggitts. He attended public schools in Virginia and quickly devoted an excellent work ethic and was determined to succeed and be his own boss. He started selling news papers at a young age and quikly became a mentor to many children helping them in any way that he could. He worked on the farm and eventually started driving a dump truck in Blackstone, Virginia. All the while he long to own his own company. Eventually he migrated to Baltimore Philadelphia, New York and ultimately settling in Paterson, New Jersey. He married Martha Jiggetts, his sweetheart from Palmer Springs and they remained happily married for 63 years until her death. They both worked at the Curtis Wright factory but his desire to be his own boss was strong. Finally he started his own business with a truck and then a taxi. His wife, Martha would answer the phone and he would pick up the passengers. He quickly developed a reputation in Paterson as an extremely hard-working dependable man. That reputation carried him far. His business in Paterson began to flourish to the point where he saw a need to provide more capacity which he did in the form of van transportation and ultimately school and charter buses. His company, Jiggetts Transportation Service, Inc., has employed hundreds of people over the years and has served as a source of pride for many in the black community. Although he possessed a gruff exterior Gorge Jiggetts had a caring heart and often helped many people in the community. In all George Jiggetts has established a transportation company that over the last 60 years has handled many of the transportation needs for the city of Paterson and its surrounding communities. His charter buses travel nation wide and his company continues to handle many of the transportation needs for Paterson schools. George Jeggetts never retired. Although he suffered a stroke two years ago, he continued to monitor his businesses from his wheelchair and through frequent visits by his employees. He was also featured in the New Jersey Urban History Initiative "Working in Paterson" sponsored by the National Park Service and the Library of Congress. George was an avid follower of local and national politics and a virtual authority on any current event in the City of Paterson. Paterson was truly a place that he loved. George was the patriarch of Paterson Jiggetts clean and played a significant role in the lives of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was always more than happy to watch the kids from his wheelchair. George Jiggetts was predeceased by his sons George Jiggetts Jr., and Vincent. George's memories will be cherished by his daughter, Barbara (Bobbi) Wash of Paterson, his son Theodore (Ted) Jiggetts and his wife Adrena of Robbinsville, New Jersey, his son Marvin W. Jiggetts, Esq. and wife Doris of Westampton, New Jersey and his daughter Bonita Hinton and her husband Leslie of Paterson, his grandchildren Brandon Jiggetts, Clarinda Cumberbatch, Donald Jordan Wash, Aaron Jackson, Robert Jiggetts, Julian Jiggetts, and his great grandchildren Kenneth Wash, Jadyce Wash and Kai Cumberbatch; brothers Henry Jeggetts of Maryland and Andrew Jiggett, Jr., of Brooklyn, NY; sister Louise Works of Long Island NY.