George Daniel Rigney, 86, died Sept. 30 following a brief illness and hospital stay, according to Marsha Marcela, a former English teacher at Patrick County High School and one of Rigney’s longtime friends.

Rigney was a teacher for 50 years and spent most of his career as an English teacher at Patrick County High School. He frequently told the story of accepting a job as a central office administrator in Patrick – a position he held for two weeks before asking to return to teaching because he wanted daily contact with students.

He never applied for another administrative position, and is remembered by many students as the last person they saw when they left school because he was on parking lot duty every day.  As one of the sponsors of the senior class, he announced the names of the boys at the high school graduation, but it is perhaps his generosity that will be most remembered.

Rigney helped those who struggled financially buy things they needed or wanted, including class pictures, senior T-shirts, and graduation supplies. He chose a different student each day and bought their lunch as an act of kindness — because he wanted someone to feel special.  Sometimes he chose a student he didn’t know.

Rigney was recognized by Newsweek magazine and received the Sallie Mae Teaching Award as one of the top 100 teachers in America.  He also received letters of commendation from former Sen. Virgil H. Goode Jr. and former President Bill Clinton before retiring from his post in 1999. He returned as a substitute teacher the following fall.

Upon leaving teaching completely, he retreated to the mountains and helped his nephews with their timber business.

Rigney had a great love of nature and the outdoors.  He enjoyed hiking through the mountains and once had a domesticated wolf named Brownie that accompanied him. His love for nature would have been described by Emerson and Thoreau as transcendental.

Following complications from frostbite in December, 2010, Rigney survived the amputation of his left leg and part of his right foot.  For this procedure, he received local anesthesia, but was awake for the entire procedure.  He spent about 14 months in the Blue Ridge Nursing Center in Stuart during his recovery, where he was attended by many former students. Once he was able to walk and take care of himself, he retreated to a small apartment in Hillsville, where he lived out his remaining days entertaining friends, former teaching friends, students and family.

Every other Saturday, Marcela traveled from her home in Huntersville or Boone, N.C. to Rigney’s apartment. There, she took him riding or to visit a friend of his choice. Sometimes, the visits were prearranged, but many were unplanned.

Marcela said that she knew most of the people they visited, but sometimes “we visited people I had never met or had not seen since I left Patrick County over 20 years ago.” During those visits, she took pictures that were framed and placed on the walls of Rigney’s apartment.

Rigney’s final trip to Patrick County was on Saturday, Sept. 1, Marcela said, and recalled Rigney visited with Ray Smith and Fred Brim at their homes that day. Because of Rigney’s limited mobility, most of the visits took place in the car while Marcela waited in the back seat.

Marcela recalled a few years ago, she sat in the backseat about three hours while Rigney visited with Algie Spencer, who has since passed away.

“Sometimes we would visit as many as three different homes in one trip.  If we visited Fred Brim or Marvin Foley, there usually wasn’t time for more as they enjoyed each other’s company for lengthy periods of time,” she said.

Rigney also maintained close contact with Bruce Dollarhite, Clarence Hall, and countless other friends.  One of Rigney’s favorite places to go was the Hamm family’s garage.

Rigney received his Bachelor’s degree in education from Radford University in 1962 and his Master’s degree in school administration in 1965. His career began when he was 18. Then, Rigney taught in one room school houses or churches in Carroll County. He then taught at Flat Rock Elementary School in Mount Airy, N.C. before accepting a position with the Patrick division.

Marcela named her son, Rigney Marcela, after George Rigney. Her son also is a teacher, she said.

Shortly before his death, Rigney told Marcela’s daughter-in-law, Jessalyn Marcela, “’I’m all worn out, and I am ready to go home,’” she said.

About 12 hours later, he died peacefully in his sleep, according to Marcela.

A public memorial service will be held in the Patrick County High School auditorium on October 28, and a scholarship fund also is being established in Rigney’s honor as “a way to keep Rigney’s spirit, dedication to helping young people succeed, and his memory alive for many, many years to come,” she said, adding additional details will be released in the future.