Loren Riggins Jr. was born in Vineland on June 30, 1926, to Loren Riggins Sr. and E. Blanche (Jardine) Riggins. He lived with his sister, Betty, at the current location of the Riggins Oil headquarters. Growing up, Loren worked at the family business, first known as South Vineland Feed & Coal Co. and then as the L.S. Riggins Oil Co.
He graduated Vineland High School in 1943 and was [image-nocss] accepted to Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa. After a brief start at Bucknell, Loren enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served on the USS Silvertein in the Pacific Theatre during the World War II. During the battle of Iwo Jima, his's post involved loading the four-inch shells into the large guns of the ship as it was bombing the island. At the end of the war, Riggins was discharged in San Diego and hitch hiked across the country back to Vineland. He was grateful that he never paid for a meal, transportation or lodging during the entire trek back home due to the kindness and generosity of citizens toward the enlisted.
He resumed his education at Bucknell after the war and graduated with a business degree in 1949.
Upon his return to Vineland, he again worked at the family oil business. He married Joan Sharpless of Millville in 1950. They had four children, Pat (Cummines), Bobby, Paul and Steven.
Riggins soon took the leadership role at the family business and diversified the heating oil business by venturing into gas stations and wholesale petroleum marketing. The oil business grew to be one of the largest petroleum distributors in the state of New Jersey.
He successfully passed the operation down to the third generation of the family in 1991.
Though he spent many hours in the family business, his real passion was the Boy Scouts, which he first joined at the age of 12. He served as Scoutmaster of Troop 10 at South Vineland Methodist Church. After leaving the post of troop leader, he stayed intimately involved in the Southern New Jersey Council of the Boy Scouts, where he served as council president. He was a tireless fundraiser for capital improvements at the camps. He also worked energetically for the council's endowment fund. In addition, he was an advisor for Boy Power dinners. His crowning achievement was the donation of material, labor and services to construct the regional headquarters building a on land that he donated. This facility was named in his honor upon its opening.
After 60 years of dedication to the Boy Scouts and countless awards and recognition for the same, the National Council of the Boy Scouts awarded Riggins its highest honor, the Silver Buffalo.
The family requests that donations be made to the endowment fund of the Southern New Jersey Council of the Boy Scouts of America, 4468 S. Main Road, Vineland, NJ 08360; or the Joan & E. Blanche Riggins Memorial Scholarship, c/o First United Methodist Church, 700 E. Landis Ave., Vineland, NJ 08360 (scholarship fund for students of the performing arts).
CSP sends condolences to his family, his friends and his colleagues.
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