Karen Sue Riggs

Karen Sue Riggs, 74, passed away Monday, May 5, 2025.

Karen was born February 28, 1951, in Pierre, South Dakota to James Linsy Riggs and Ruby Lee Lewis Riggs. A proud graduate of Riggs High School in 1969, she went on to earn her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology – Social Work from the University of South Dakota, in Vermillion, SD in 1974.

Karen dedicated her professional life to social work. Quirky and kind-hearted, Karen never met a stranger and had a gift of talking to everyone. One of her greatest passions was genealogy; she spent countless hours researching family histories, often going above and beyond to help others locate the gravesites of long-lost relatives in distant cemeteries. With great care, she would clean the headstones and send photographs to grateful family members. A regular at the Grapevine Rec Center, Karen loved games and spent many joyful hours playing Mah Jong and Rummikub with friends. Her deep affection for animals was a defining part of her life—she found great joy in watching nature shows and was an avid viewer of veterinary programs like Animal Planet and The Incredible Dr. Pol.

Karen was preceded in death by her parents, James and Ruby Riggs, as well as her brothers, Robert Riggs and Wayne Riggs. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Linsy and Bill Grozdanich, and her two cherished granddaughters, Riley and Lexi Grozdanich of Trophy Club, Texas. Karen also leaves behind a large family of siblings: James Riggs and Shirley Lowrie of Houston, Cathy and Arlynn Anderson of Utah, Christine and Carl Hawkins of South Dakota, Jane and Terry Tousley of South Dakota, Monte and Janet Riggs of South Dakota, and JoLinn and Steve Powell of Florida. In addition, she is remembered fondly by her many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

A service to celebrate Karen’s life will be held on Monday, May 19th, at Lucas Funeral Home, located at 700 W. Wall Street in Grapevine, Texas. Family and friends are invited to gather for visitation from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., followed by a Celebration of Life service at 11:00 a.m. Karen will be laid to rest on Tuesday, May 20th, at Stroud Cemetery in Stroud, Oklahoma.

In honor of Karen’s lifelong love for animals, memorial contributions may be made to Operation Kindness or the SPCA of Texas.

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