Arlie Ruth (Crabb) Riggs, 98, of Westcliffe, passed away peacefully on December 7, 2024, in CaƱon City.
Born in Linwood, Kansas, on April 23, 1926, Arlie was one of six children to Jeremiah and Grace Crabb. She had one sister and four brothers. Her sister, Jenny, died at the age of 16, and her brother, Robert, was killed during the Second World War. All siblings preceded her in death. She remained very close to her brothers, Bill and Ed, until their deaths. She spent her childhood in nearby Williamsburg. After graduating from Williamsburg High School, she attended Kansas State Teachers College in Emporia, KS, earning a Bachelor of Science in Education degree in 1947 and was a lifelong Tri Sigma Sorority member.
In 1952, she moved to Westcliffe, Colorado, to work at the Rainbow Lutheran Camp. There, she met and later married Dan Riggs in 1954, a Colorado Division of Wildlife Officer. They were married for 33 years, until his passing in 1987. They raised their two sons, Derald and Dean, on the Riggs Ranch. After teaching for several years at Custer County High School, Arlie then worked over 20 years as Director of Social Services for Custer County until her retirement in 1991. Dan and Arlie loved the Valley and were an integral part of everything that went on. They constantly entertained both out-of-town guests and neighbors, always welcoming anyone into their home for coffee or a meal. They were both tremendously involved in the community, ranching, and civic life of Westcliffe.
To say Arlie was a happy and busy woman is an understatement. She served on countless committees and entertained a lot! She won Westcliffeās Chamber of Commerce āCitizen of the Yearā in 2012. She was active in the Custer County Cowbells, Custer County CattleWomen, served on the Board of Directors for the First State Bank of Colorado, Sangre de Cristo Electric Association, Sangre de Cristo Habitat Partnership Program committee, Wet Mountain Valley Community Foundation, Custer County Schools Alum and Scholarship programs, lifetime member of the Snowflake Chapter 153, Order of the Eastern Star and involved in too many other committees to mention. She established the Dan Riggs Memorial Scholarship, an annual scholarship to a Custer County high school student interested in furthering their education in Agriculture or Wildlife management, as a memorial to her late husband, and was instrumental in helping to establish the Riggs Family Scholarship for family members pursuing higher education. She had a deep love for people and wildlife.
Arlie was a longtime member of the United Methodist Church in Westcliffe, a great cook and baker, an avid bowler, and enjoyed golfing. When not on the dance floor or giving parties, she loved to travel to see her children and grandchildren, never missing a birthday or holiday. She and Dan were able to take several wonderful trips to Alaska, and she even joined a horse-packing group to Machu Pichu in her 80s!
Predeceased by her husband, N. Daniel Riggs, she is survived by her two loving sons and their wives, Derald and Gayle Riggs of Arcadia, OK, and Dean and Rene Riggs of Loma, CO; she was exceptionally proud of her four grandchildren, Dan, and wife Shelly, Matthew, and wife Monica, Danielle and Tori and her four great-grandchildren Olivia, Adeline, Brighton and Truett, all of whom she deeply loved and adored. She was in constant communication with them all and very interested in their activities. She had a host of nieces and nephews who she loved dearly, as well as very close friends from the Valley and elsewhere.
Arlieās family would like to thank the wonderful staff at VALI (Valley Assisted Living) of Silver Cliff, Fremont Regional Hospice, and Hildebrand Care Center of CaƱon City, where they loved and cared for her. A very special thank you to Tom and Cindi Flower and the Bill Canda family for all the love and care youāve provided Arlie over the years. It would be impossible to name all those in Westcliffe who helped Arlie over the years through thick and thin.
Arlie was a loving mother, wonderful mother-in-law, perfect Grandma, and very dear friend to everyone she met. She encouraged communication, and you could feel the love she had for people just being around her. She was a forward thinker and never dwelled on past events. She was a smart, respected, and inclusive woman who befriended nearly everyone, and although she will be sorely missed, sheāll never be forgotten. Her impact on all our lives is forever imprinted in our hearts. We love you, Arlie.
A private graveside service will be at the Ula Cemetery, Westcliffe, Colorado, followed by a memorial at a later date. Memorials may be given to VALI, 30 East Main Street, Silver Cliff, CO 81252.
The Riggs Ranch continues a legacy as a FFA working ranch