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Thomas F. Rigney

Thomas Frances Rigney, age 61, of Amherst, NH died at home at 12:05 PM on March 16, 2012 from liver disease.

Tom was born on August 10, 1950 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of the late Frank and Rita Auth Rigney. He married Jeannine M. Weber on January 29, 1972 in Hamilton, Ohio. He and Jeannine have resided in Amherst for the past fifteen years.

Mr. Rigney was a graduate of Elder High School in Cincinnati, Ohio. During his Army service he was stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska from 1972-1974. He began college at the age of 25 when he attended the University of Cincinnati. He and Jeannine later moved to La Grande, Oregon to continue his education at Eastern Oregon State College. He received a BS in Physics at EOSC in Corvallis in 1979. He was awarded a Microelectronics Graduate Fellowship in 1982 and continued his education at University of North Carolina at Charlotte where he completed a Master’s degree in Engineering in 1984.

Tom was employed as an engineer at McDonnell Douglas Corporation in St. Louis, Missouri for ten years from 1984-1994, working finally as a Lead engineer in Electro-Optic Design. In 1996 he was hired by Sanders (now BAE) where he worked in many different areas including as a Principle Systems Engineer in Avionics and as a Manager in Engineering Sensor Systems until retiring in 2009.

Tom enjoyed hiking, fishing, traveling, museums, going to zoos, construction projects around his home, and racing his beloved 2003 Cobra Mustang at the New England Dragway in Epping, NH.

He is survived by his brothers, Steve Rigney and wife Janet Enderle Rigney, Kenneth Rigney and wife Judy Nordmeyer Rigney; his sister, Susan Rigney Oliverio and husband Jim Oliverio; and his mother’s brother, Bob Auth, all who reside in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, Kim Carson, Sean Carson, Greg Rigney, David Rigney, Kevin Rigney, Joey Rigney, Brian McMahon, Andrew McMahon, Kaitlyn Rigney, Danny Rigney, Jason Rigney, Timmy Rigney and Kevin Rigney; and two great nieces, Sierra and Isla McMahon. He was predeceased by his sister, Karen Rigney Carson.

In a school essay when Tom was almost ten years old he wrote: “I would like to be like Columbus because I have always wanted to be a great person. People could talk about things I have done and my name would be put in history books”.

His wife of forty years, Jeannine, will miss him greatly.

No service or visitation is planned in accordance with his wishes. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests you make a donation to the charity of your choice in Tom’s name. Arrangements are in the care of Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH. To leave an online condolence, please go to www.smith-heald.com