Lois Lorraine Riggs

Lois Lorraine Riggs, born March 10, 1933 in York, South Carolina to Mabel and Charles Westmoreland, passed away peacefully on December 3, 2025. Lois grew up in Jacksonville, North Carolina where she and Captain Joseph E. Riggs met and married on May 23, 1952. She spent most of her life in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, where she built a life centered on family, community, and education.

Lois graduated from Waynesburg University on December 19, 1974 with a degree in English education. She believed deeply in the importance of learning and often said that knowledge is power. That belief guided her throughout her years as a substitute teacher with the Waynesburg school district, where she taught for more than 20 years. Lois worked at Penn Commercial where she taught English. She continued working well into her 80s.

Lois was a deacon at the Presbyterian Church, and serving her community was a major part of who she was. She was a kind soul who loved giving back and stayed active in different parts of community life. She enjoyed reading, had a love for antiques, and kept a strong appreciation for history. She carried herself with a classic prim and proper style that everyone who knew her could recognize.

Lois is survived by her daughter, Robyn Riggs-Dayton, and her grandchildren, Kaitlin R. and Gene J. Conklin. Lois is preceded in death by her husband, Captain Joseph E. Riggs, whose Marine Corps background was a proud part of their life together, along with her two sons, Joseph (Jay) and Daniel Riggs. We take comfort knowing she is reunited with them in heaven.

There will be no formal service at this time. Her body will be cremated, and her ashes will be partially spread near her original home in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania.

Lois leaves behind a legacy of kindness, dedication to education, and love for her family and community. As Queen Elizabeth II once said, grief is the price we pay for love. The grief we feel now is a reminder of how deeply she was loved and how much she meant to all of us.

If you have a special memory of Lois, please feel free to share it with the family.

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