John Thomas Riggs

John Thomas Riggs passed away on December 18, 2025 in Brandon Florida. John was born in Jessup Indiana on July 11, 1936 to Thomas and Florence Riggs. He was a graduate of Rosedale high school. He married Gloria Faye (McCool) in 1956.
He and Gloria raised their three children and lived most of their life together in Montezuma Indiana. John was a hard worker throughout his work life, sometimes holding three jobs at once. His last employment was with Eli Lilly in Clinton where he was a member of the maintenance team and the Lilly Fire Department.
John was proud to be a 32nd degree member of the Masonic Lodge. John also loved Christmas time and children. In Montezuma, he would decorate his home for Christmas and dress up as Santa and stand at the end of his driveway handing out candy. John and Gloria moved to Florida from Indiana after retiring in 2000 and he lived there for the remainder of his life. John was a founding member of Horizon Church in White Cloud Florida. Both John and Gloria were baptized and committed to Jesus Christ.
John loved everything outdoors, especially fishing. In his earlier years in Indiana, he also enjoyed hunting and gardening. In Florida, John and Gloria bought a home on a small lake where John built a boat dock and could often be found out on the lake or fishing from the dock. John and Gloria would later come to live with their daughter Andrea in Brandon, and John would continue to "fiddle" with fishing gear.
Most of all John loved his family and would say that his family was his greatest accomplishment. He is survived by his children, Jillana Lohrmann (Brent), Tom Riggs (Tammy), and Andrea Ellis; grandchildren, Krista Sietsema, Kelly Naylor, Tommy Riggs, and Evan Ellis; great-grandchildren, Kyra Naylor, Tenley Naylor, Kinsley Riggs, and Hazel Sietsema.
John was preceded in death by a great grandson, John Gordon Riggs, and his beloved wife Gloria.
Services will be held at Gooch Funeral home in Rockville, Indiana on Sunday, December 28, with visitation from 2:00 to 3:00, and a memorial service at 3:00. The family will be hosting a reception at Benjamins Restaurant in Rockville immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) or Shriners Children (https://donate.shrinerschildrens.org).
Online condolences may be shared at www.goochfuneralhome.com.