Joseph Riggins

Joseph “Joe” Brian Riggins, 43, of Pomona, Kansas lost his year-long battle with cancer on Friday, July 22, 2022 at AdventHealth Hospital in Merriam, KS.

He was born September 23, 1978 in St. Louis, Missouri the son of Henry and Michelle (Rice) Armstrong.  He graduated from Hazelwood West High School with the class of 1996.  He then went on to earn a Bachelors Degree of Computer Science graduating from the University of Missouri – Rolla in 2000.

On January 11, 2007, Joe was united in marriage to Julie Sauder in Austin, Texas, with whom he shared 15 years of loving marriage.

Joe started working for Sprint in Merriam, KS as a network engineer.  He left Sprint in 2009, and joined his wife in an embroidery business.  When they moved onto their farm in 2014, Joe and his wife began selling homemade products made of their goat’s milk at the Ottawa Farmer’s Market.  They then opened a storefront, The Goat Milk Soap Store, in 2017.  Two years later, they began to host Thanksgiving community dinners, and was one of the original founders of the Blessing Box Foundation, which outreaches to people and families in need of food or supplies in Ottawa. 

Joe loved his wife and children, and was a loving, strong, and faithful parent and friend to all who knew him.  He loved God, and showed God’s compassion in every one of his actions.  He was a talker, if you went into the Goat Milk Soap Store; you were going to get to know Joe and what was going on in his life and with his kids.   Joe was always willing to lend a hand, an ear, or words of hope and encouragement to his family, friends, and community.  Joe was a good teacher, and he loved to travel and tell stories of those travels.  He was deeply loved by his mother and he loved her dearly as well. He was a left-brained engineer at heart.  He was also an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan. 

He was preceded in death by two grandfathers, Leonard Rice Jr. and Henry C. Miggins, and a grandmother, Marion Ray.

He is survived by his wife, Julie Riggins of Pomona, KS; eight children, Alexander Barker and his wife, Emily, of Ottawa, KS, Skyler Barker of Ottawa, KS, Selam Riggins of Pomona, KS, Atey Riggins of Pomona, KS, Bette Riggins of Pomona, KS, Mihret Riggins of Pomona, KS, Mahari Riggins of Pomona, KS, and Birhanesh Riggins of Pomona, KS; his parents, Henry and Michelle Armstrong of St. Louis, MO; a grandmother, Janet Rice of St. Louis, MO; a brother, Creig Armstrong of St. Louis, MO, a sister, Tamra Armstrong of St. Louis, MO; parents-in-law, Everett and Linda Cooper of Stryker, OH and many aunt, uncles, nieces and nephews.

To honor Joe, a Celebration of Life Memorial Service be held 11:30 a.m. Saturday, August 13, 2022 at the Fredrikson Chapel, Ottawa University, 1001 S Cedar St, Ottawa, KS 66067, with a visitation following and ending at 2 p.m.  Memorial contributions may be made to the Joe Riggins Memorial Fund or the Blessing Box Foundation and sent c/o Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, P.O. Box 14, Ottawa, KS 66067. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.

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