David Alexander “Dave” Riggs, hunter, fisherman, outdoor enthusiast, antique car collector, lover of good Southern food, card shark and all around jokester died on Sunday, June 3, 2011. He was 58 years old.

Dave began his adult life as a professional gambler.  Once he married and fathered three kids, he decided to retire from poker and become a commercial plumber.  He worked for many companies, some he loved and some he didn’t.  He married twice and raised his three kids, Kayla, Jennifer and Nick as a single dad.  He taught them to fish, fight and to live life to the fullest.  He had really bad taste in the women he married, but chose wonderful women to be friends with.

He loved banana pudding, the old fashioned kind with custard and meringue.  He would have eaten it every day if he could have convinced someone to make it for him.  He loved biscuits and he was a whiz at making big light fluffy ones.  He didn’t make them often, but when he did, hmm hmm good.

Dogs loved Dave.  His dog, Duke, adopted Dave about 6 years ago while at a park.  He has followed Dave every step taken since then.

Last summer Dave decided to plant a garden.  He knew nothing about gardening, never cracked a book on what and when to plant.  He just decided to plant what he liked and to share his gardening efforts with friends and family from his freezer, which is full of home- grown squash, tomatoes, corn and beans.

He was a diehard Republican and a Florida Gators fan.  No one ever figured out why he loved Florida.  He never went there and as far as anyone knows, never visited there.  The Republican thing also remains a mystery.

He loved playing jokes on unsuspecting folks and he was good at it.  Like the time he called my dad on the phone and convinced him that Dave was a neighbor who lived down the street and that my mom had kicked his dog.  My dad spent 30 minutes on the phone with Dave trying to convince him that my mom would never kick a dog; she loved dogs.

Among those who were honored with Dave’s presence are children Kayla, Jennifer and Nick; parents, Walter Riggs and Helen Hester Riggs; siblings Jason and Beth.  Greeting him on the other side are his grandparents.

Visitation at the chapel of Georgia Cremation from 2-5 PM Wednesday, June 6, 2011. Funeral services to celebrate the life of Dave will be held 2 PM Thursday, June 7, 2011 at Georgia Cremation 3116 U.S. Highway 23, Duluth, Georgia 30096 www.GeorgiaCremation.com 678-584-0914.