Martin Taylor Rigney

1952 - 2024

Martin Taylor ("Marty") Rigney, 71, passed away recently at his home in South Park. Marty was born in 1952 in DeKalb, Illinois, to Carl and Margaret Rigney. The family moved from DeKalb to Nacogdoches, Texas, and subsequently to Beaumont, where Marty lived for the rest of his life. He attended Caldwood Elementary, Marshall Junior High, Forest Park and Hebert High Schools. He then acquired his lifelong trade of welding, by attending the Lamar Institute of Technology welding technology program.

After acquiring his welding trade, Marty went to work for Bethlehem Steel at its Beaumont shipyard, where for many years he worked building jack-up rig offshore drilling platforms. A proud member of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Lone Star District, Local 587, he took pleasure in singing union songs like "Solidarity Forever," and "Which Side Are You On?" After Bethlehem Steel closed its Beaumont shipyard in the early 1980s, Marty worked at a series of construction jobs until retirement, during which time he associated with the United Steelworkers, local 8586. Marty frequently lamented that he and his co-workers were unfairly denied their full Bethlehem Steel pensions.

In 1973 Marty married Victoria Kreiner, who had a son, Neal Emerson Rigney. Marty is survived by Neal and his wife Amber McClintock Rigney and their children Lance and Victoria. Marty is also survived by brothers Daniel Carl Rigney, David Roth Rigney, Robert Stephen Rigney, Thomas Judson Rigney, and their families.

In his spare time, Marty enjoyed playing the piano, guitar, and harmonica, and could frequently be found on his front porch playing and singing while greeting many of his neighbors by name as they walked by. He built guitars from scratch, which he played while singing blues and folk songs in local venues.

He was also particularly fond of collecting odds and ends, often breathing new life into found items for either his use or to give to those around him in more need than himself. His collection included classic and antique cars -- a 1939 Packard, a '50s model Isetta 1-door, '56 Chevy truck, '68 Mustang, and a '66 VW Beetle. From his formative high school years, Marty showed himself to be mechanically inclined, undaunted by the sometimes-challenging work that he did on his cars, trucks, and motorcycle engines.

During election season, Marty volunteered frequently for the Democratic party, supporting union-endorsed candidates, and he often represented his district in Democratic party caucuses. As a youngster, Marty attended Disciples of Christ churches (Northwood and First Christian) along with the rest of his family, and he spent parts of his summers at the church's Camp Wildurr. And as an adult, he continued to promote a religious point of view. Throughout his adult years, Marty was proud to live in South Park, often spending time in libraries and county offices, researching the history of the area and its important place in Beaumont's growth before and after the Spindletop oil boom.

Marty was a nonconformist who prided himself in facing his personal trials, relying mostly on his own skills, planning, and frugality, even when it may have been easier to lean on the assistance of others. Marty can be best remembered by supporting labor unions, by greeting your neighbor, and by enjoying a chicken fried steak, his favorite dish.