Remembering Syd Riggs

Last Wednesday I attended the funeral service for a dear friend, Sydney Ann Samuelson Riggs. She was basically my mom away from home while I attended college. While it was a bitter-sweet day, I left the service with a feeling of gratitude for this life and the experience we’re all going through together. It was a happy occasion for so many good friends from years past to be gathered together in celebration of an honorable life lived.

This is what I wrote for her family’s book of remembrance:

My first experience with Syd was when, as a returned missionary, I was cast in the 1991 Promised Valley Playhouse production of The Gift of Christmas. I enjoyed the van ride to and from Salt Lake City because Syd and I often had the chance to talk about life. I especially remember her advice to stay in the theater as long as the theater didn’t influence me to compromise my covenants. I have and always will enjoy the theater and I love the gospel of Jesus Christ and all it has made possible for me to receive and benefit from even more.

Today I’m the father of a beautiful and sometimes challenging 3-and-a-half year old daughter, and my wife Vickey and I expect our first son to arrive in the next couple of weeks. Being a parent helps you better understand what our Heavenly Father must feel as He watches down upon His children.

There’s no doubt Syd lived her life to the fullest. I don’t know of many people who are more involved in so many different activities.

As a BYU student a group of my cohorts and I would spend just about every Sunday afternoon at the Riggs’ home enjoying awesome home cooked meals prepared by Syd. We ate, played games and had a terrific time with the entire Riggs family. Syd was a wonderful host and surrogate mother.

I enjoyed Syd’s friendship and support throughout my days in Young Ambassadors, various Promised Valley Playhouse productions and finally in the 2000 Thanksgiving Point production of Forever Plaid. It was after that show that my wife and I moved to Las Vegas. We’ve seen Syd a few times since then and enjoyed the opportunity to reminisce about the good ‘ole days.

Syd was a supportive mother and wife. She maintained an awesome sense of humor and was always a friend to those around her. I can only imagine the good she must have done as Orem High School’s drama teacher.

Her friendship, kind smile and hearty laugh will be missed by all who knew her.

Our warmest condolences and heartfelt wishes for strength at this time of separation are with the entire Riggs family.

I’m confident people are in our lives for a reason. We all grow and learn together.

Several comments made at the funeral were very poignant and reminiscent of the life of Syd Riggs. A comment her brother, Scott Samuelson made really struck me. He said something like: Why do we believe in things we can’t completely understand? Because we choose to believe.

And isn’t that the crux of it? Thankfully we live in an environment that is created largely by our choices. And thankfully we can decide our own attitude, direct our own thoughts and work each day toward worthy goals. Certainly our lives are impacted by the actions of others and still we have the opportunity to determine our reaction.

As mentioned in Batman Begins (yes, a blatant reference to pop culture), we fall down so we can learn to get back up again.

I’ll be eternally grateful for the influence of Syd Riggs in my life.

~Pete