Provided by the Family
Dr. Murray Joseph Riggins Jr., departed this life on Friday, July 1, 2022, at the age of 67 following a brief illness.
Dr. Riggins was born on April 18, 1955, in Albany, Georgia, and was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. After graduating from Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati in 1973, he was offered a full scholarship to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), but declined it to accept a scholarship to attend Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He majored in physics and graduated with honors in 1977. He then continued his education at Meharry Medical College and graduated with a medical degree in 1981.
Dr. Riggins moved back to Cincinnati where he for many years.
Dr. Riggins was a doting father of five children, twins Kymberly and Kisha, Nicole, Murray III (Joey), and Matthew.
Dr. Riggins moved to Anniston, Alabama, in 1990 and became the medical director at the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Talladega, Alabama. While working at the prison in 1991, he successfully negotiated during a hostage takeover for the release of his colleagues and won an award for bravery at the National Medical Directors’ Conference.
In May of 2000, he met the love of his life, Dr. Rovenia Brock-Riggins. After a whirlwind courtship, they married in 2002 on the island of Anguilla British West Indies.
Although he held a dual residence in Washington, D.C. and Anniston, Alabama, Dr. Riggins continued working at Alabama hospitals in ER medicine (Stringfellow, Jacksonville, and Gadsden Regional Memorial). In 2010, he opened Dr. Riggins Medical Aesthetic Skin Care (MASC) Gadsden and worked at Hormone Health in Birmingham and Restore Clinic in Gadsden, helping substance abusers during their recovery.
Dr. Riggins was also an accomplished singer, songwriter, and musician, playing piano and bass guitar. He released several records, including “Ultra/Sound” with the IgG band from Meharry Medical College, where he was a founding member. The “Ultra/Sound” album is now a collector’s item in Japan and was re-released in wax in 2021. He also released “Dancin’ Prancin” with his brother Michael Riggins.
Dr. Riggins and his wife, Dr. Ro, relocated to Anniston, Alabama, in 2011 so that he could build and operate his MASC practice in Gadsden.
Dr. Riggins is preceded in death by his parents Murray Riggins Sr. and Pearline Riggins Singletary. He is survived by his loving wife of over 20 years, Rovenia Brock-Riggins, and one brother, Michael Jerome Riggins (Margie Hall).
He also leaves three daughters, Kymberly Riggins Ayodeji (Olutayo Ayodeji), Kisha Riggins Hymes (Marvin Hymes), Nicole Yvette Riggins; two sons, Murray Joseph Riggins III (Marquitta Riggins) and Matthew Riggins.
The service is Saturday, July 16, 2022, at Greater Thankful Missionary Baptist Church at 3025 West 14th Street in Anniston, Alabama 36201. Viewing at 10 a.m. CST, service at 11 a.m. CST.