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A
Visit With Fred Rigsby, One
Of Kentucky's Few Centenarians
Boyd
Countian Has 100 Years Chocked Full Of
Wonderful Memories And A Pride That Has Not Diminished
By Thomas
Heaberlin - 2005
Fred Rigsby
is a resident of the Kings Daughters and Sons Home For Aged Men
and Women in Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky. Residents of these
homes are usually less than 100 years old, and we are not privileged
to meet many at the age of 100 or over in a lifetime, but my
visit to see Mr. Rigsby was one of those rare privileges.
I was taken to his room by one of the staff. She opened his door
and gently awakened him. Slowly he sat up. The lady announced
to him that he had a visitor. He looked at me for a moment and
then with a familiar smile reached out his hand. He greeted me
with one word, "Tom," then motioned me to a chair.
It was January 18, 2005, Fred was 100 years old that day.
Fred is a retiree of the Ashland, Kentucky, school system. During
his retirement he taught oil painting in his home, and I am one
of his former art students; so we reminisced for a while. I remembered
a story he once told me. When I mentioned it to him his face
lit up. It was a story of an experience he had when he was a
small boy. For the next ten minutes he related the story again.
It was like looking into a window of the childhood of a centenarian.
Fred's mother had told him many times that he must not go to
the river. Ashland is on the Ohio River, and it was a great temptation
for the boys of Ashland to swim there. It was a challenge for
the older boys to swim across to the Ohio shore and back. It
gave them bragging rights if they accomplished the feat. Many
old men living today made that dangerous swim when they were
boys.
The river is treacherous. The heavy tugboat traffic, sand bars,
and swirling drifts gave mothers plenty reason to be concerned.
Many narrow escapes and several drownings occurred along the
Ashland shore.
Fred had a great desire to just one time take a dip in the forbidden
river, but he was an obedient son; that is, until one day three
of his friends came by on their way for a swim. They persuaded
him to go along. Fred's conscience was troubling him, but when
they came to the river and his three friends dived into the water
Fred could resist no longer, so he stepped in. Fred said, "As
quick as I stepped in I thought of my mother's warning and my
Sunday School class. I made a weak defense of my actions. I said,
'Lord, I want to play around a while.' So I waded on.
"There was a raft of logs ahead of me. I could not swim
well, but I thought I could dive out to the logs then I would
be safe, so into the deep water I dived. When I came up I had
gone too far and my head bumped the bottom of a log. I came up
again and bumped another log, then again. By this time I was
scared and out of oxygen. I said, 'Oh Lord, I know I am going
to die. My mother told me to not come here. I'm sorry, Lord.
This is not your fault.' At that instant my head came up between
two logs. That little space saved my life. The Lord had provided
a way for me to live.
"I held onto a log and paddled to shore, but I was so weak
I could not walk. I had to lie down and rest a while. When I
was strong enough I ran all the way home and went to my room.
I was afraid to tell my mother at that time. That experience
has stayed with me all of my life, and it is still so clear to
me."
As a teenager in the Rigsby home money was a scarce item. Being
an older sibling in a large family Fred's father told him it
would be best if he would get a job to help support the others.
Fred was hired at a local mill. His job paid 20 cents per hour.
This helped, but allowed for nothing extra. The job took Fred
out of school part-time, resulting in a need for five years to
complete high school.
Upon graduation in 1926 Fred was presented the annual Pollock
Award. The award was for being chosen the most well-rounded male
student in the Ashland school system.
Fred entered Union College at Barbourville, Knox County, Kentucky,
on a football scholarship, having excelled in football and basketball
in the Ashland school athletic program. He played four years
for the Union Bulldogs; one year as halfback and three years
as quarterback. He was described by the college as one of the
best tacklers that Union College ever had. His sportsmanship
and skill were of such an excellent blend that even opponents
held him in high esteem. He missed only one game in the four
years. To help with his depleted finances he refereed a basketball
game at Corbin, Kentucky. His coach didn't understand and kept
him out of one game as disciplinary action.
Fred graduated from Union College in 1930 with a major in chemistry
and a minor in English. In 1937 he earned a masters degree at
the University of Kentucky.
Coming home to Ashland to his alma mater he began a career in
education, teaching, and coaching at Coles Junior High. Later
he became principal of Condit Elementary and Putman Junior High.
As Fred and I continued our visit he said, "One evening
at a teachers meeting I saw this pretty young lady." His
eyes brightened and he continued, "Students catch onto everything
and they noticed my interest in Mildred, and they didn't let
anything pass without announcing it to everyone." Soon Fred
and Mildred were married. It was a long and happy union, but
Fred is alone now, except for a daughter and three grandchildren
who live out of state.
Fred's philosophy of life is, "Keep busy doing something
constructive and never quit." He looked at me and said,
"Don't ever quit driving." He misses driving.
After retirement he turned his basement into an oil painting
studio, and for the next 20-some years he taught the young and
the old how to use a paint brush. Even into his 90s he was still
the master.
When one of the would-be artists painted themselves into a problem
Fred would take their brush and in a moment another ruined canvas
was salvaged.
Fred's energy and positive attitude amazed us. One day he told
us his secret. He said, "When I have a birthday I just take
off 20 years."
Once when we were painting a wasp was buzzing overhead. Someone
said, "Kill it," but Fred said, "I will take it
outside. Who knows he may be the last of his kind." He had
respect for all life.
Fred's love for Union College prompted him to give the school
an unusual gift. In 1981 he started saving pennies. He said he
thought he would start picking up pennies here and there until
he had 50,000, but after 22 years his collection had grown to
67,000. In 1993 he donated them all to the college.
Fred was inducted into two halls of fame: the Ashland High School
"Tomcat" Hall of Fame and the Union "Bulldog"
Hall of Fame.
The former athlete now moves very slowly and with caution, but
his stature is still that of a football quarterback
The "Golden Years" are nothing new to Mr. Rigsby. He
has had 100 of them, all chocked full of wonderful memories.
When it was time to leave, I asked Fred if I could take a picture.
He said, "Yes, but let me get in a better position."
I placed a pillow behind him, and he straightened his shirt;
still mindful of his appearance. He has a pride that one hundred
years can not diminish; or is it 120?
Thomas
W. Heaberlin, 503 Virginia Street, Wurtland, KY 41144, shares
this article with our readers.
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