William Stuart Riggsby

I remember standing around out in the hallways of the Walters Life Science building, chatting with other students and Dr Riggsby on September 9, 1981.

How can I be so sure of such a date?! Well, as we were chatting about whatever it was, I mentioned something about "Square Root Day" and Dr Riggsby's head cut over to me and he said, "_What_ day?"

I said "9/9/81...square root day". He was delighted and said he had never heard it called that. I said, I wasn't surprised because I just made it up.

I think about him many times over the course of a year, but always on days like 1/1/01, 2/2/04...and so on.

I smile as I think about him holding his teacup and holding court in the hallways.

Although he wasn't my mentor in graduate school, he was by far my favorite Professor there. He was kind, compassionate, hilariously funny and as smart as they come.

He made me a better student and a better person. When you got a good grade in one of his classes you felt a sense of pride that you had not let him down, because to me, that was much more important than the grade itself. Decades after knowing him, I think of him often.

The university, the city of Knoxville and everyone he touched were privileged to have enjoyed and benefited from his time here.

He is truly missed.

Dr. Riggsby was such an amazing and funny man. And I loved that he and another graduate student in our group would volunteer to be extras in operas that came to Knoxville, serving as soldiers and other crowd roles. He always took his teapot to lectures and encouraged us in grad student meetings to give the background first to any explanation we were giving for our progress so that we all knew what was being explained. I think of him often when I mentor students.

Dr. Riggsby was inspirational to me as a mentor on my Master's degree committee and was a great example of how to do research, teach and live a multifaceted life. His wonderful sense of humor combined with his skill in teaching and rigorous demands of his graduate students were a perfect combination to lead us in our early scientific careers. He will be greatly missed.

Dr Riggsby enjoyed teaching and the educational process. He taught more students than could be imagined. His enthusiasm was reward in itself for learning under his guidance. He was well respected and will be missed by many and admired by all.

Dr. Riggsby was a brilliant, kind gentleman whose intelligence and knowledge base may have rivaled that of Thomas Jefferson. The University, the state, and the country have lost a priceless one of a kind gem. Thank you Dr. Riggsby for all that you have done for all of us.