Carol Helen (Castrovinci) Riggs

Carol Castrovinci Riggs of Erwin, Tennessee, age 86, passed away peacefully on January 11, 2025, at her residence. She was born on May 26, 1938, at St. Mary’s Hospital, Hoboken, New Jersey. When she was nine years old, her parents transferred to Greensboro, North Carolina. There, she graduated from Curry High School and completed a business course at Women’s College now named UNC at Greensboro.

Carol retired after thirty years from the US Government’s Federal Aviation Administration as a Real Estate Contracting Officer. After retiring Carol worked for an antique and new furniture company called Simpler Tymes in McDonough, Georgia as a Customer Service Representative. Later, she moved to New Bern, North Carolina with her husband, Richard. She lived there seven and a half years working part time at an antique and collectibles mall before deciding that the hills of Tennessee would be an interesting place to move to since Richard just retired from his job at Cherry Point, North Carolina NAS.

They came to Erwin, Tennessee in 2004. Carol was already a collector of Erwin’s Blue Ridge Pottery. Her favorite activities included volunteering; years of photographing cats at Erwin’s animal shelter, publicity photographer for the Erwin National Blue Ridge Pottery Club, the Unicoi County Hospital Auxiliary and photographer for the Erwin Presbyterian Church’s newsletter where she was a member.

Other hobbies included gardening, especially tomatoes, and painting pictures at Erwin Senior Center.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lawrence Castrovinci and Hilda Cordts Castrovinci.

Carol has left behind to cherish her memory, her husband of more than thirty years, Richard; her son, Gregory P. Haire and wife, Dianne of Jackson, Georgia; grandson, Brandon G. Haire and wife, Britney; great grandson, Elijah Stokes Haire, all of Barnesville, Georgia; her sister, Lorraine and husband, Dr. Michael Daugherty of Vero Beach, Florida; niece, Susan Boaz Daily; grandniece, Megan of Davidson, North Carolina; Lorraine’s adopted son Adam Boaz’s twins, Adam and Michael.

A private memorial service and inurnment will be held for the family at the College Park Cemetery, located close to Atlanta Hartsfield Airport, and near where Carol ended her chosen career.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Carol to: Erwin Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 530, Erwin, Tennessee 37650.

Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the Riggs family at www.ledfordfuneralhomes.com. 

Robert Ledford Funeral Home, 720 Ohio Avenue, Erwin is privileged to serve the Riggs family. (423) 743-1380.

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