Reese Wilson Diggs Jr.'s Obituary
Reese "Rick" Diggs, 75, of Severna Park passed away peacefully at home on December 10th with the support of Hospice of the Chesapeake after a brief hospitalization. His beloved wife and family were at his side.
Born on January 25, 1948 to Reese, Sr and Helen (Cicero) Diggs, he lived his early years in Edmonston Village, Baltimore City and then later in Catonsville. He attended St Bernardine’s Elementary School and graduated from Loyola Blakefield High School in 1966. While at Loyola he was senior class president, captained the varsity football and baseball teams and was awarded the Howard Morris Trophy for outstanding football player. He was very proud to have been inducted into the Loyola Blakefield Athletic Hall of Fame along with his son Gregory (Scott) Diggs in 2014.
He went on to Western Maryland College (now McDaniel) to major in physical education/education and enrolled in ROTC. He graduated in1970 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army. While at Western Maryland he captained the football and baseball teams and was president of his fraternity. In his senior year he won the Jim Stephens Award for outstanding football player, the Jim Boyer Award for outstanding baseball player and was a Distinguished Military Graduate. In 2008 he was inducted into the Western Maryland Green Terror Hall of Fame,
It was at Western Maryland College where he met his wife, Joyce (Wagner) whom he married immediately after college graduation and they settled in Westminster, MD. Rick became a physical education teacher at East Middle School and joined the 29th Field Artillery Army Reserve Center where he was eventually promoted to Captain and Honorably Discharged.
In 1980, Rick was named Athletic Director at the newly opened Liberty High School in Eldersburg, MD. He left education in 1984 to move to Anne Arundel County to go into business with his family and became owner/operator of Pasadena Rentals. However, after 10 years, he was called back into the education field and started his tenure at St. Vincent Pallotti High School in Laurel, MD where he held several positions starting as Dean of Students, moving to Athletic Director and then Director of Advancement. In that position he secured millions of dollars for improvements and enhancements to the school. He retired from Pallotti as VP of Operations.
In 1994, while still working full time at Pallotti High School, Rick was named the first Executive Director of the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA), the independent governing sports organization for 29 private high schools in the Baltimore/Washington area. This position combined 2 of Rick's passions; sports and education. He will always be remembered and known for building the MIAA into what is now widely recognized as one of the best high school athletic leagues in the country that sends many players to Division I and II colleges for NCAA sports and to various professional sports leagues. After serving in this role for 19 years, he retired in 2013 and was honored to be awarded The Governor’s Citation from Governor Martin O’Malley for outstanding and dedicated service.
In his retirement, Rick enjoyed spending time with Joyce, his dogs and cats and always looked forward to visits from his kids and grandkids. He was an avid Baltimore Colts fan back in the day, as well as a Ravens and Orioles fan. He loved spending time in Ocean City, reading books about sports, military, the old west and anything airplane related and he never passed up an opportunity to watch The Andy Griffith Show or The Waltons reruns on television.
Rick is survived by his wife Joyce (Wagner) of 53 years of Severna Park, MD; children Kristen M. Diggs, and Gregory Scott (Nichola) Diggs; his 3 grandchildren, Erin Carter, Chase and Taylor Diggs all of San Diego, CA; brother James (Betsy) Diggs of Westminster, MD; sister Barbara (Bobbi) Quinn of Baltimore, MD; brothers in law, Fred (Carol) Wagner of Vienna, VA and Ken (Becky) Wagner of Annapolis MD and many nieces, nephews, godchildren and cousins. He is preceded in death by his father, Reese Diggs, Sr.; mother Helen Diggs; sister Suzie Zitzer; and mother and father in law Fred and Eleanor Wagner. Rick also leaves behind many close friends and colleagues from his school years and in education and sports. He was a natural leader, prided himself on maintaining connections with people and taking loving care of his family and friends. He touched many lives throughout his life, was admired by all and is already greatly missed.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations go to the Hospice of the Chesapeake, who so lovingly provided care to Rick and support to Joyce in Rick's final days www.hospicechesapeake.org or to St Jude’s Childrens’ Hospital which Rick supported throughout his life.
This is the motto with which he ended all his emails: "When we go into battle, I will be the first one to step on the field and the last one to step off, and we will leave no one behind, so help me God." - Lt Col Hal Moore, Ia Drang Valley, Vietnam, June 1965
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