Thomas Richard Riggs

Thomas Richard Riggs, M.D. Born March 9, 1956 in Jonesboro, Arkansas, Tommy died suddenly on Tuesday, May 11, 2004. He attended South Elementary School in Jonesboro, Arkansas and Forest Heights Junior High and Hall High Schools in Little Rock, Arkansas. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Vanderbilt University in 1978 where he was named Phi Beta Kappa and was a member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. He received his medical degree from the University of Arkansas School of Medicine in 1982 and completed his residency in General Surgery at the University of West Virginia in 1988. His fellowship in Cardiovascular Surgery was at Tufts’ New England Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts 1988-1990. He was on the faculty of the Department of Surgery of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston from 1990-1992. He built a reputation as a renowned cardiothoracic surgeon in Austin, Texas, practicing there from 1993 until his death. All that knew Tommy loved and respected him. He touched many lives during his lifetime. In his youth, Tommy played Little League baseball and American Legion baseball excelling as a left-handed first-baseman and pitcher. He loved basketball and played on school teams in junior high and high school. He had a great sense of humor and loved to dance and cheer for his favorite sports team. He was a loving husband, father, and son, keeping his wife, children and parents close to his heart at all times, affectionately referring to his two daughters as his “Queens”. Most importantly he was dedicated to his family and to his patients. He will be sorely missed by many. He was a member in the Tarrytown United Methodist Church. Survivors include his wife of sixteen years, Debbie Boyce Riggs, a native of Grafton, West Virginia and their two daughters, Kayla and Kimberly. Other survivors include his parents, Dr. and Mrs. Orval Riggs of Little Rock, Arkansas, and sisters, Dr. Susan Riggs Runge of Chapel Hill, North Carolina and Mrs. Dianne Riggs Espinoza of Austin, Texas, as well as multiple aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces. Visitation is Friday evening, May 14th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home. The funeral will be held Saturday, May 15th at 10:00 a.m. at Tarrytown United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at Austin Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association. Arrangements by Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 3125 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78705 (512) 452-8811. You may view memorials online at wcfish.com