Dakota Kyle Rigsby, 19, of Palmyra, Va., passed away on June 17, 2017, while serving on the USS Fitzgerald. Dakota was born Sept. 12, 1997, in Fort Polk, La., to Lloyd Wayne Rigsby, Jr., and Shawn Harris Rigsby.
Dakota is survived by his parents Wayne and Nikki Rigsby of Palmyra, Va., and Shawn Rigsby of Scottsville, Va., his brother Trey Rigsby and his girlfriend Jessie Kessels of Palmyra, Va., his grandparents Lloyd Rigsby, Sr., and his wife Kelly of Bremo Bluff, Va., and Shirley Irving of Gordonsville, Va., his fiancée Jacqueline L’anglais of Yokosuka, Japan, and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family, and friends. Dakota was preceded in death by his grandparents, Richard and Judy Harris of Troy, Va., Barbara Rigsby of Scottsville, Va., and Stevean Irving of Gordonsville, Va.
Dakota enjoyed playing sports, playing videogames, listening to all types of music, all things Pokemon, and spending time with his family and friends. Dakota had a tremendous sense of humor, an infectious laugh, and it was unusual to see him without a smile. Dakota loved his family, his friends, his community and his country. Dakota’s heart for service prompted him to join the Lake Monticello Volunteer Fire Department in January 2014 and to make the decision at 17 years old to enlist in the United States Navy where he served proudly as a gunner’s mate until his untimely death. Dakota left for basic training at the Great Lakes Naval Station on Feb. 17, 2016, and he remained at the Great Lakes Naval Station for A school. After completing A school in October 2016, Dakota was assigned to the USS Fitzgerald, Yokosuka, Japan. Dakota was deeply loved by all who knew him and will be dearly missed.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 1, 2017, at 1 p.m. at Fluvanna County High School. Family visitation will occur at Fluvanna County High School on July 1, 2017, prior to the funeral service, and will begin at 10 a.m. Graveside services will be private and limited to family and active duty military personnel. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in Dakota’s memory be made to the Fisher House Foundation, Inc., 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 420, Rockville Md., 20850 or the Lake Monticello Volunteer Fire and Rescue, Inc., 10 Slice Road, Palmyra, Va., 22963.