John R. Wiggins '41 died August 7, 2010.
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JOHN ROBERT WIGGINS ’41
It is with sadness that I share the news my father, John “Bob” Wiggins, died on Aug. 7, 2010. Bob attended Amherst on a full scholarship, played hockey and sang with the glee club. One of his roommates was Bob Morgenthau, esteemed New York City D.A. and a longtime family friend. Bob graduated in 1941 with honors.
He was a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy during WWII and participated in the Normandy Landing.
Bob was married to Joy Wiggins. He met Joy while attending a play where she had the lead role. They married in 1942 and had one daughter, Candy (Wiggins) Capogrossi, in 1945. Bob worked for Dupont Company, among other corporations, in sales and marketing but decided to go back to school when he was 40 to study education. He received his master’s degree and pursued credits towards his doctorate at Columbia University, New York City. He served as the superintendent for business at the Greenburgh School District in Westchester County.
He retired at the age of 56 and moved from Connecticut to Venice, Fla., and then Santa Cruz, Calif., where he lived for 25 years. He spent a great deal of time with his grandchildren, Kristy and Jonathan. He was active in the Calvary Episcopal Church choir and volunteered with an organization called Grey Bears which assisted seniors with food and clothes. His wife, Joy, died in 2006. During the last four years of his life, he traveled with his daughter to Europe, the Caribbean and enjoyed his two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
I asked my Dad last week if he had a favorite place where he lived, and he said “Amherst!”—We will miss his wonderful good nature, his kindness, his discerning intellect and his beautiful sparkling blue eyes.
—Candy Wiggins Capogrossi