Wallace A. “Judge” Riggins

The Fight of His Life
Round I
Herbert and Daisy Mae Riggins introduced Wallace Andrew Riggins to the world on May 15, 1951. Wallace was born to a very large and nurturing family. His mother showered her baby boy with endless and unconditionally love. Wallace was a rambunctious, mischievous and sometime ornery little one. His grandmother ( Lucy Jane Davis ) said to him one day “ Boy you so bad if you don’t straighten up one day you gone stand before Judge Rose, who was the District Juvenile Court Judge.
One day while playing outside Wallace being his ornery self, decided to run through the neighborhood and pull all the emergency fire alarm systems, causing the streets to be filled with Fire and Emergency trucks. As a result he was ordered to appear in court before Judge Rose! His grandmother then began calling him Judge Rose. In later years he dropped the Rose and hence for the last 55 years we call him “JUDGE”.

Round II
Judge attended Starling Junior High and Central High School. As young child Judge played for the Sullivan Gardens Baseball team where his father was the coach. The team held the record at the time for winning 6 City Championships. But in 1961 he found his first love when he was introduced to the sport of Boxing. Judge said the sport excited him and he trained with the tenacity of a true warrior. Judge was a tremendous boxer coached by Bill Douglas, father of James “Buster” Douglas. Judge boxed for 11 years winning 7 bouts by knock out! One fighter even refused a match when he realized that his opponent would be Judge, it made headlines! During his brief boxing career Judge held the title as the National Golden Glove Champion.

Round III
On May 27, 1969, Judge received the first of five gifts when his oldest son Kevin Watson was born. He was his pride and joy. Then on October 27, 1973, Judge married Jenesse Kee. In March 1972, he received the shock of his life when he discovered, Jenesse (Nesse) gave birth to not just one son, but a set of twins. Two months prior to the birth of the twins, Judge was in the gym practicing for a boxing match when he received a call to come home. There he discovered his father had passed away, Judge never returned to ring again but remained an avid boxing fan. Years later, Judge’s joy was complete with the birth of two daughters, Javonna and Marcha'e Randall.

Round IV
Judge was employed by the City of Columbus Transportation Department for 16 years until a work injury forced him to retire. In retirement, Judge had the heart of a servant always willing to lend a helping hand. Whether sharing a meal with a neighbor, cutting the grass for a friend, even allowing a house of kids from Sullivant to spend the weekend with him ordering pizzas by the dozen.

The Final Round
The gift we will miss most is his laughter and his ability to make you laugh even when you really wanted to cry.
On Christmas morning at 4:45am, Judge moved out of his old house and arrived in glory with a cloud of witnesses to greet him, just in time for the Christmas celebration! We are not saying goodbye but merely we will see you soon, for we are certain we shall see him again after while.

Judge is preceded in death by parents, Daisy and Herbert Riggins, brother Herbert Riggins Jr., uncle Elbert Carreker Jr.. He leaves to cherish is memory, sons Kevin (Sharon) Watson, Shane (Alice) Riggins, Shawn (Devon) Riggins, daughters Javonna and Marcha'e Randall, brother Clifford (Constance) Riggins, sister-in-law Sonja Riggins, nephews Che and Chaugntai Riggins, niece Charlena Paulin, eight grandkids, two great grandkids and host of loved ones and friends.

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