James Harold Rigsby Sr.

ALBANY, Ga.- James Harold Rigsby, Sr., 88, of Albany, died January 1, 2004 at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital. The funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Kimbrell-Stern with interment in Crown Hill Cemetery with the Rev. Keith Gaines officiating. A native of Carroll County, Georgia, Mr. Rigsby graduated from Georgia Teacher's College, Statesboro, Ga., in 1940 where he attended on a football and basketball scholarship. He married Ruth Merritt in 1942 and then continued his education and received his masters in Public Health Engineering from the University of North Carolina in 1956. He was a member of the Delta Omega Honors Society. Mr. Rigsby retired as a Lt. Col. from the military after 20 years of service. He served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and the remaining years in the National Guard. He then retired in 1977 after 30 years of service from the Public Health of Georgia where he worked as an engineer. Mr. Rigsby had lived in Alban y since 1965. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Albany, a member of Albany Kiwanis, and the Golden K for 48 years where he was a past president. He received the Legion of Honor for being a member of the Kiwanis Club for 35 years. Mr. Rigsby was also a member of Doublegate Country Club and the State of Georgia PHE. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Sara Ann Fraser. Mr. Rigsby is survived by his wife of 61 years, Ruth Merritt Rigsby of Albany; a son, James Harold Rigsby, Jr. and his wife, Kent of Augusta; five grandchildren, Robley S. Rigdon, Jr. and his wife, Anne, Mac Rigdon, Wilkes Fraser, Merritt Rigsby Fields and her husband, Jeff and James Harold Rigsby, III; two great-grandchildren, Aisling Fields and Byah Fields and numerous nieces and nephews. The family will receive friends at Kimbrell-Stern Funeral Directors, Saturday, from 12 to 1 p.m. You may sign the online guestbook and share your own special thoughts and memorials with the family of Mr. Rigsby by visiting Kimbrell-Stern's website at www.kimbrellstern.com Those desiring, please make memorials to the American Cancer Society, Dougherty-Lee Unit, P.O. Box 1201, Albany, Ga. 31702 or to the First Baptist Church of Albany, P.O. Box 67, Albany, Ga. 31702. Kimbrell-Stern Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements. Sign the guestbook at AugustaChronicle.com