Birth date: Jun 15, 1932 Death date: Oct 21, 2024
Dr. Robert (Bob) Dale Riggs passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday, October 21, 2024. He was born in Pocahontas, Arkansas on June 15, 1932 to Rosa MacDowell (Mack) Riggs and Grace Million Riggs. Bob graduated from Maynard H Read Obituary
"Dr. Bob" was one of my most favorite people in the world. He was a joy to be around; knowledgeable about plants & trees, agreeable, and kind to all sorts people. I miss him. Becky, we shall not see the likes of Bob again, & our world was brighter with him in it.
My wife (Honglin Tian) and I are so sorry to hear the passing of Dr. Riggs. Please accept our heartfelt condolences. Dr Riggs was an internationally renowned nematologist and contributed significantly to the science of nematology, especially in the area of soybean cyst nematode research. My wife and I are honored to have worked in his lab during 1995-2000 where we found he was a great mentor, a wonderful gentleman, and a truly good friend. We have been keeping in touch with Dr. Riggs since we moved to Nevada, and I remember that the last phone conversation with him was during the pandemic when he told me he was turning 90 years old. Dr. Riggs visited Beijing in 1995 (where I first met him, see photos) and other parts of China in the 1980s. He made a slideshow of all the pictures taken during the trip and showed them to us during dinner at his house. He recalled every person he met and shared all the interesting experiences during his China trip. In 2008, Dr. Riggs and Mrs. Riggs drove to Salt Lake City where they met our whole family for the first time. Six years later, Dr. Riggs visited us in Reno where he enjoyed seeing the beautiful Lake Tahoe and Pyramid Lake. We are grateful to Dr. Riggs who has tremendously and positively impacted our lives.
- Shouhua Wang, State Plant Pathologist, Nevada Department of Agriculture and Honglin Tian, Clinical Lab Supervisor, University of Nevada, Reno.
My condolences go out the whole Riggs family. Bob was a gentleman and a great colleague. He was a big help to me when I started my academic career at the University in 1999. Dr. Riggs was always willing to share from his experience and vast knowledge. And although I graduated well after him, we shared stories of getting our doctoral degrees at NC State. He was well respected nationally and internationally as an expert on soybean nematodes, and his work continues as an important contribution for food production, even today. I also enjoyed occasionally seeing Bob after his retirement as he stayed active in the community. Our sympathies go out to all the family, from the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology at the University of Arkansas.
- Ken Korth, Department Head
