John David Rigney, Sr., 97, of Columbia, KY passed away on Wednesday, the 24th day of August, 2022. Born in Ashland, Illinois, he was the son of John M. Rigney and Maddie Grant Rigney.
Raised in Illinois and Central Kentucky, at 18 he joined the United States Army Air Corp and served from 1942 to 1945 with most of his duty performed in the Central Pacific Theater, and again for 17 months with the Army as a military policeman in 1947 and 1948. After his service in the army and a brief tenure at Lindsey Wilson College, he joined the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, later known as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association where he worked until his retirement in 1981. As a surveyor for the USC&GS and the land component of NOAA, he performed surveying services of the first order across the continental United States, Alaska, and Puerto Rico. His work and those of his associates was the most accurate of triangulation surveying, the control points for other forms of land measures. Over his tenure with NOAA, he initially used instruments as basic as the theodolite, evolving to the advanced Global Positioning System receivers to measure angles and distances, and employed modes of transportation from horses to helicopters to access remote areas of the country. As a father and husband, he raised two sons while also frequently relocating his family across much of the continental United States in the service of his employer. He served his last few years at NOAA as the liaison to the state civil engineering departments and associations for Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan and the engineering colleges and universities in those states.
After his first retirement, he worked as a consultant for two engineering firms based in Louisville, KY and then Rockville, MD. In this capacity he performed work for states and municipalities both domestically and abroad. In these engagements, he was fortunate to work alongside his son, John David Rigney, Jr., who subsequently joined and served a career with the NOAA Corps, also as a surveyor. In 1992, he retired for the last time and settled in Columbia, KY. He was passionate about his work, loved to travel, and most who knew him would say he could spin a good yarn.
SURVIVORS:
1 son: Bob Rigney (wife Nancy)
2 grandchildren: Abigail Rigney and Patrick Rigney
1 great-grand-daughter: Cedar VanParys Fortune
2 step-grandsons: Joseph Marinez and Michael Marinez
1 step-granddaughter: Katie Marinez
1 sister: Mary Fernandes
Daughter-in-law: Vicki Rigney
Long-time caregiver and friend: Connie Chapman
He was preceded in death by his son, John David Rigney, Jr.
Funeral Service: Monday, August 29, 2022 at 12:00pmCT at Grissom Martin Funeral Home in Columbia, KY
Visitation: After 10:30amCT on Monday
Interment: Haven Hill Cemetery in Columbia with full military honors presented by VFW Post 6097
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Salvation Army and may be left at the funeral home.
Grissom-Martin Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
