Adna Wayne Riggs

Adna Wayne Riggs was born in Giles County, Virginia, November 7, 1931. He was the son of Adna and Harriett (Farley) Riggs. Wayne was a Navy veteran and minister who devoted his life to promoting social justice and racial equality. As the oldest son in a family of four children, Wayne assumed responsibility for the farm at the age of 10 when his father was drafted to serve in the Army during WWII. He knew early in his teenage years that ministry was his calling. As he pondered how he wanted to serve, he noted that many in the community had served in the military, and Wayne felt that if he had a similar experience, he would be better able to relate to those he served. Wayne began his ministry while attending Johnson Bible College, where he practiced sermons while visiting Black inmates in the Knox County Jail. This experience prompted him to make social justice and racial equality prominent parts of his diverse 60-year ministry. He transferred to Lynchburg College in 1951. His successful work as a student pastor of two small churches in the Blue Ridge Mountains culminated in his ordination by the Virginia Association of Christian Churches upon graduation in May of 1953. Wayne continued his ministry while attending seminary in Enid, OK, by serving as the pastor of the Wilmore Federated Church in south central Kansas. He fulfilled his dream of being a cowboy while working on the Robbins Ranch and his dream of flying by buying a WWII airplane, flying it up to Wilmore every weekend and using a pasture for his landing strip. After receiving his Master of Theology degree from Phillips Graduate Theological Seminary in 1957, he entered the U.S. Navy as a Chaplain. The Navy sponsored his graduate education in human development with emphasis on psychology, sociology, and theology at Harvard University. After Harvard, Capt. Riggs trained with Marines for one year before departing to Vietnam for 10 months, the only combat duty in his career. He then served on the aircraft carrier Independence, headquartered in Norfolk, VA, and deployed to the Mediterranean Sea. Another highlight of his career was his work as Command Chaplain at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where he also served as Chaplain for the FBI Academy. After managing the training for all Navy chaplains for five years, he directed a ministry across 17 shore stations and seven aircraft carriers in the Navy Pacific Fleet. He then served as director of the Naval Chaplains School in Newport, Rhode Island. When Wayne retired from the Navy in 1988, he received recognition for his service through a personal letter from President Reagan, the Navy Legion of Merit Award, a blessing from Pope John Paul II, a letter of commendation from the Jewish Welfare Board, and a commendation from the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). From 1990 until his retirement in 2013, Wayne served as Pastor of Plymouth Congregational Church in San Diego. The San Diego City Council, California State Assembly, and California State Senate each recognized his active involvement in addressing issues of social and economic justice, including challenges facing homeless Veterans. Wayne married Margaret Hawkins in 1959 and they adopted two children, Steven and Rachel. Margaret died in 1988. He married Vickie Chance in 1989. Wayne and Vickie first met in 1953 when he was pastor of the Wilmore church. They reconnected 36 years later, and married on January 1, 1989. Wayne adopted her son, Damon, the same year. Wayne was preceded in death by his first wife Margaret, his parents, his two brothers, Robert and Ralph Riggs. He is survived by his wife, Vickie Chance Riggs, his sister Doris R. Day, and his three children, Steven W. Riggs, Rachel M. Riggs (Joe Vidal) and Damon W. Riggs (Jena Sampias Riggs). Celebration of Life and Service for Wayne Riggs will be held on Friday, January 5, 2018, 2:00 p.m., First Unitarian Universalist Church (4190 Front St), San Diego. Memorial contributions requested for The Naviaux Lab at UCSD School of Medicine (214 Dickinson St. San Diego 92103) (http://naviauxlab.ucsd.edu/support/) in honor of Wayne Riggs.