William "Bill" Riggs

Dates

Obituary

Bill Riggs, 73, died, peacefully surrounded by family, on Saturday, September 27, 2025, under hospice care after a long battle with cancer. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, October 18 at Ethan United Methodist Church in Ethan, with burial to follow in the Hillcrest Cemetery.

William “Bill” Ray Riggs was born December 2, 1951 to Darrell and Virginia (Tobin) Riggs. The Riggs 12-pack learned to love the land and the critters that inhabit it on the family’s farm northeast of Ethan. The family’s fifth child, Bill attended country school outside Ethan and graduated from Ethan High School in 1970.

In September 1970, Bill enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served two years. He was stationed at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and served in Holland and Germany, earning the rank of Specialist Four. Following his honorable discharge in 1972, Bill made his way to Edgemont, where he worked in the oil fields a couple of years before returning to Ethan. He ran his own construction business, Riggs Roofing and Construction, until the mid-90s, when he began a 25-year career in welding at Hendrickson Turner.

Bill married Dawn Ihnen in 1973. To this union were born Jeremy, Jason, Billie and Rachael. In 1995, he married LaRonna Miller and added her children, Jeana and Jonathan Underberg, to the family.

Bill was a member of the Ethan United Methodist Church and the Ethan American Legion. He enjoyed hunting pheasants and deer, fishing, riding horses and hobby farming. But, most of all, he loved to spend time with his children and grandchildren.

Bill is survived by his wife of 30 years, LaRonna, of Sioux Falls; four children: Jeremy Riggs of Alexandria, Jason (Arin) Riggs of Ethan, Billie (Paul) Tuttle of Alexandria and Rachael Riggs of Harrisburg; 20 grandchildren: Isabelle (Jay Smith) Riggs, Emma Riggs, Stetson Riggs, Tyalee (Camden) Myers, Ethan (Anna) Riggs, Jaysten (Kassidy) Riggs, Weston Riggs, Felicity (Tom) Gill, Brock Tuttle, Cash Tuttle and Jezaleyn Dravland; 11 great-grandchildren: Hadlee, Hazel, Raycen, Arayiah, Emsley, Rocker, Stratton, Colter, Radd, Khaleesi and Alaska; LaRonna’s children, Jeana Underberg and Jonathan (Mary) Underberg; LaRonna’s nine grandchildren; 11 siblings: Bonnie (Richard) Storm of Iowa, Gene (Linda) Riggs of Ethan, Connie (Owen “Woody”) Hillberg of Colorado, Bob (Bobbi) Riggs of Colorado, Bev Rumbolz of Mitchell, Vickie (Dave) Hohn of Ethan, Glenn (Barb) Riggs of Wyoming, Donna Shay of Mitchell, Roger (Lisa) Riggs of Ethan, Ronnie (Shelly) Riggs of Mitchell and Kevin (Becky) Riggs of Mitchell.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Darrell and Virginia Riggs; two grandsons: Sutton Dean Riggs and Trenton Tuttle; and two brothers-in-law: Roger Shay and Charlie Rumbolz.

Service

Cemetery