Jill Ellen (Fiorini) Riggles of Durham, 57

From Dooliittle Funeral Service

Jill Ellen (Fiorini) Riggles, 57, of Durham, loving wife of Elven W. Riggles, Jr., passed away on Thursday, November 10th with her family by her side at Middlesex Hospital after a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Reading, PA, she was the daughter of Jean Mary Dugan Fiorini of Reading, PA and the late Lucido Dominic Fiorini.

Jill was a graduate of Tufts University, New England Conservatory of Music and the Hart School of Music at the University of Hartford. She was a piano teacher for over forty years, the Music Director of The United Churches of Durham for the past twenty years, Music Director of the Castle Craig Players in Meriden and served on the Board of Directors of CT Odyssey of the Mind. Jill has touched many lives with her love for music and volunteer spirit.

Along with her husband, Elven, she is survived by her children, Meredith Jean Huntley and her husband, Matthew, Elizabeth "Posey" Lucy Riggles and John Alexander Riggles; mother-in-law, Marguerite R. DesRosiers Riggles; sister-in-law, Deanna N. LaVoie; nieces, Danielle and Michelle LaVoie; former brother-in-law, Armand LaVoie; aunts, Jean Confer and Vera Keim; uncles, Albert Fiorini and Louis Fiorini; cousins, Carl J. Fiorini and his wife, Donna and their children, Sarah and CJ Fiorini, Roxanne Confer Evans and her husband, Tom and Shannon and Tammy Keim, Michael Dugan, Patricia McQueen, Patrick Dugan, Colleen Potts and life-long friends, Doug Hadden and Toshiko Banno-Hadden. She also leaves her church family at The United Churches of Durham, the members the choir, the Connecticut Odyssey of the Mind Board of Directors, the Castle Craig Players of Meriden as well as her countless friends, piano students, her Birthday Girls and her beloved cat, Katarina (Putzie Fang Marie).

In addition to her father, Jill was predeceased by her father-in-law, Elven W. Riggles, Sr.

Jill's family would like to say a special thank you to the doctors, nurses and the staff at the Middlesex Cancer Center, South Four and the Hospice Floor at Middlesex Hospital, and particularly to Drs. Hong, David and Takahashi, and Nurse Tammy Bober.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, November 19th at 4:30pm at The United Churches of Durham, 228 Main Street, Durham with the Rev. Dr. Elven W. Riggles, Jr. officiating. Interment will be at the convenience of the family in The New Hazardville Cemetery in Enfield, CT.

Friends may call on Friday evening from 5:00 to 7:00pm at the church. In lieu of flowers, donations are encouraged to be made in loving memory of Jill to The Castle Craig Players, c/o Melanie Del Sole, 87 Old Farms West, Middletown, CT 06457 or to the Memorial Fund of the United Churches of Durham, P.O. Box 66, Durham, CT 06422.

Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.doolittlefuneralservice.com.

The Doolittle Funeral Home, 14 old Church Street, Middletown is handling the arrangements.