Merl Lynn Riggs

UPDATED 3/16/20

THE MEMORIAL SERVICE PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 23rd AT 11:00 A.M. HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO CURRENT EVENTS, SERVICE INFORMATION AND TIME WILL BE POSTED HERE ONCE DETERMINED.

 

Merl Lynn Riggs 93, died Thursday, January 30, 2020. Preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Veda Riggs; son-in-law, Phillip Lynn Strong. Survived by his wife of 69 years, Ernestine; daughter, Ruth René Strong; grandson, Matthew Strong, step-grandson, Stephen Strong (Christina)of Dade City, FL; step-great-grandchildren, Kevin Strong, Abigail Strong.

He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served from 1944-1946 and was assigned to a U.S. Navy's landing craft support, the USS LCS (L) (3) 78, in WWII , Saipan, Okinawa, Tinian and Iwo Jima.

After service in the U.S. Navy, he graduated from York College in NE and got his master's degree from NM Highlands University. He was on the staff of the high school at Elba, NE then moved to Albuquerque, NM where he worked for the Albuquerque Public Schools from 1954 – 1986. He was a member of the faculty at Wilson Junior High School as assistant to the principal until 1963 when he was named principal of Monroe Junior High. He subsequently was named principal at McKinley Junior High, Cleveland Junior High, Valley High School, and Jackson Middle School.

He was one of 38 school administrators chosen to attend the U.S. Educational Foundation Seminar in India in 1968 and was among those chosen to represent APS in the 1978-1979 Danforth School Administrators Fellowship Program, sponsored by the Danforth Foundation.

Funeral Service will be at 11:00 AM, Monday, March 23, 2020, Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, 5400 S Yosemite St, Greenwood Village, CO 80111. Burial will follow at Ft. Logan National Cemetery, 4400 W Kenyon Ave, Denver, CO 80236 at 1pm. Please meet at Staging Area A, within the cemetery.

Funeral Service: March 23, 2020 11:00 am

Presbyterian Church of the Covenant
5400 S. Yosemite Street
Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Graveside Service: March 23, 2020 1:00 pm

Fort Logan National Cemetery
3698 South Sheridan Boulevard
Denver, CO 80236
(303) 761-0117
https://www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/ftlogan.asp