Obituary of Louie Eugene Wiggins, Jr.

Louie Eugene Wiggins, Jr

February 14, 1941-January 31, 2020

Louie Eugene “Gene” Wiggins, Jr departed this life on Friday, January 31, 2020 at Prisma Health Heart Hospital in Columbia, SC.  He was born on Friday, February 14, 1941 to Louie Eugene Wiggins, Sr and Marie Bryant Wiggins in Florence, SC.

He grew up in Florence, SC but lived in Whiteville, NC for several years when he was young while his father worked at a funeral home in Whiteville.  His family moved back to Florence around 1949, and he graduated in 1959 from McClenaghan High School. He attended Clemson University for three years and returned to Florence to begin working at WBTW TV in December 1963.

A mutual friend introduced him to Mary Angeline “Angie” Hopkins during the summer of 1963, and they were married in Dillon, SC on December 31, 1963.  They lived in Florence until February 1965 when they moved to Augusta, GA due to Gene accepting a job with General Motors Acceptance Corporation.  They moved to North Augusta, SC in August 1966 which is where they resided until Gene was transferred to the GMAC office in Merritt Island, Florida in June 1986.

While living in North Augusta, Gene was very active in the North Augusta Jaycees and the North Augusta Sertoma Club.  He held several leadership roles in both clubs, and he served a term as president of the North Augusta Sertoma Club.  He was a lifetime member in Sertoma International.

He was very active in his church, Georgianna United Methodist Church in Merritt Island, FL and helped with audio/visual on Sunday mornings.  He and Angie enjoyed helping with many projects including the annual Cake and Pie Auction. 

Gene was a people person and being around family and friends made him the happiest.  He loved his Clemson Tigers, and he was able to watch them play in the National Championship against LSU with family and friends the last night he was at home before going into the hospital for the final time.  Unfortunately the outcome of the game was not the one he was hoping for.

Gene is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Ashley Celeste Samson and Brian Richard Samson of Chapin, SC; grandchildren, Kacie Lauren Samson of Columbia, SC, Nicholas Brian Samson and his fiancé Danielle Timme of Chapin, SC, and Scott Richard Samson of Columbia, SC.  He is also survived by his brother and sister-in-law Jerry Lide Wiggins and Rachel Wiggins of Little River, SC, nephews Bryant Talmedge “Tal” Wiggins, Jr and Kenneth Stewart “Ken” Wiggins of Florence, SC, Reid Wiggins of  Florence, SC, and Brandon Lide Wiggins of Rock Hill, SC, and great niece, Tallyn Parris Wiggins of Clemson, SC.  He was predeceased by his wife, Angie, on December 22, 2019; his parents, and his brother, Bryant Talmedge Wiggins, Sr.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, April 3, 2020 at 11:00 in the morning at Georgianna United Methodist Church in Merritt Island, FL.  A reception to greet the family will be held immediately following the service. 

A graveside service will be held in Florence, SC at a later date for both Gene and Angie.

In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials to be made to Georgianna United Methodist Church, 3925 South Tropical Trail, Merritt Island, FL  32952 or to Sharing God’s Love, PO Box 1021, Irmo, SC 29063.