Juanita Riggs Rinehart passes away

Juanita Riggs Rinehart, 1958 Mannington High grad, passed away.

While most of her relatives are from Mannington, there are plenty of Riggs in Monongah High history who may have a peripheral connections.

Antonia (Toni Marie) Riggs.

Clarice Riggs Phillips, Class of 1940.

Mary Lee Riggs Weekly, Class of 1939.

Jerry Sowers, Class of 1967, married Sue Bice Sowers, Class of 1958, and moved to Hagerstown, Maryland.

John Rudy Riggs, who attended Monongah High before the family moved to Detroit. John Rudy’s brother, W. Scott Riggs, 45, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, passed away in 1991. Like John Rudy, Scott attended Monongah High. Their father was Walter Scott Riggs, Jr. and their mother and stepfather were Helen Tropea Riggs Bieglecki and Edmund Bieglecki of Wolverine, Michigan.

Janet Sowers Rinehart, Class of 1964, first reported the news via her Facebook page:

“Asking for prayers for the loss of a loved one in the Riggs/Rinehart family. Juanita Rinehart passed away.”

Janet is a widow living in Mannington whose Howard Street home barely survived the Buffalo Creek flooding.

Juanita’s obituary:

Juanita Rinehart

September 09, 1939 - November 12, 2017

Juanita Rinehart, 78, of Mannington, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, November 12, 2017 at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown surrounded by her loving family. She was born September 9, 1939 at Coburn, a daughter of the late Ora (Dutch) Riggs and Louise Gump Riggs.

Juanita had worked at numerous places including McCrorys 5 and 10, Westinghouse, First Exchange Bank, Dr. Edwin Morris’s office and Dr. Doug Wolfe’s office. She was an avid bowler in the Young and the Old League at Fairmont Bowling Center and loved playing BUNCO with her special friends. She was a member of the VFW Post 7048, the Mannington Fire Department Ladie’s Auxillary. She enjoyed collecting bears and angels and enjoyed painting ceramics, but most of all she enjoyed having her family together.

Survivors include her husband of 58 years, Franklin Dallas Rinehart; 4 sons: Frank Rinehart, Jeff (Dina) Rinehart, Rick (Holly) Rinehart, Joe Rinehart and Cathy Fast and a daughter-in-law: Donna Rinehart all of Mannington: 10 grandchildren: Felicia Rinehart (Harry) Maloney, Clayton Rinehart and fiancé Stephanie Metheny, Josie Rinehart and fiancé` Jonathan Williams, Amanda Rinehart, Chelsea Rinehart, Brooke Ashby, Brittany and Brianna Rinehart, Tracy and Matt Lazorick, and Nicole Masters; 7 great grandchildren: Hunter and Gunner Williams, Layla Rinehart, Natalie Grace , Alexa Faith, and Isabella Hope Lazorick, and Brycen Serra; several nieces and nephews; and 2 sisters: Alta (Harold) Efaw and Janet (Bob) Fluharty.

In addition to her parents, Juanita was preceded in death by a brother; Mose Riggs and several aunts and uncles, a special Niece Michelle Riggs, and special Uncle Jack Riggs.

Friends may call at the Hutson Funeral Home on Wednesday from 2-9 p.m. where funeral services will be held on Thursday at 1 p.m. with Pastor Greg Roth officiating. Interment will follow at the Mannington Memorial Park Cemetery. Condolences may be accessed at www.hutsonfuneralhomes.com