Amy S. Riggs

December 27, 1967 — March 10, 2025

Junction City

Amy Sue Riggs, 57, of Junction City, Kansas, lived life on her own terms-boldly, fiercely, and with a sense of adventure that few could match. She passed away on March 10, 2025, at her home.

Born in McPherson, Kansas, Amy grew up in Orange, Texas, where she graduated from West Orange-Stark High School. She was a swimmer, a lover of The Police (the band, not the authorities), and a free spirit from the start. She had an unbreakable bond with animals, a hearty laugh, and a knack for ignoring rules that didn’t suit her.

Amy earned a degree in equine studies, turning her passion for horses into a lifelong pursuit. She was fearless in the saddle, whether training horses, driving cattle on the Kansas prairie, or riding through the mountains of Montana. She rode motorcycles, drove trucks, and lived the life of a rancher with grit and determination. Over the years, she cared for a menagerie of animals-cats, dogs, chickens, ducks, sheep, ferrets, an opossum, and even a skunk-because if there was a critter that needed a home, Amy was the one to provide it.

Of all the roles she embraced, being a mother to her daughter Zoe was the one she cherished most. She passed down her love of animals and her disregard for unnecessary rules-like when she let Zoe keep her 4H sheep in their Salina backyard, unfazed by the neighbor complaints (or the police who showed up to check it out).

Amy was also the undisputed favorite grandchild of her grandmother, Gertrude, and everyone knew it-because Gertrude made sure they did. Like her grandmother, her faith was an anchor throughout her life, and she regularly attended services at her Lutheran church.

She is survived by her beloved daughter, Zoe of Lindsborg; her father and stepmother, Hank & Kathy Gier of Manhattan, KS; her sisters, Katrina Lewison (Tyler), Heidi Brown (Teal), and Gretchen Gier of Manhattan, KS; her mother, Barbara Hess of Lindsborg, KS; her ex-husband Robert “Bobby” Riggs of Lindsborg, KS; her Aunt Nancy Gier of Wheaton, IL, her Aunt Marilyn Rositer of Erie, PA; and numerous cousins, nieces, and a nephew scattered across the US.

Amy was a woman who laughed loudly, lived boldly, and loved deeply. Her wild, wonderful spirit will be missed, but never forgotten.

Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 16, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Manhattan, Kansas, with Pastor Michael J. Schmidt officiating.

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