Hello and welcome to the Riggs and Bugbee-Riggs Funeral Homes website.  We are a family owned and operated funeral home for three generations.  Our caring funeral directors at Bugbee-Riggs Funeral Homes provides specialized funeral services designed to meet the needs of each family.  Our professional and dedicated staff can assist you in making complete funeral service arrangements for your loved one.

 

 

We, here at Bugbee-Riggs Funeral Home will guide you through all aspects of the service arrangements, including; religious preferences, funeral flowers, casket choices, appropriate viewing music, photos and videos selection, types of burials and local accommodations if they are needed.

Now on to some history trivia about us!  Our founder, Charles J. Riggs, the youngest of ten children, who was a Farmer’s son  from Hammonton, graduated from  Hammonton Elementary and High schools and later attended the  Dolan College of Embalming and Funeral Directing  in Philadelphia; graduating in 1939.

He Moved to Barnegat to serve his apprenticeship under J. Anderson Bugbee in September of 1940.  Charles’ pay was 5 dollars for six days of work. Unfortunately Mr. Bugbee passed away of a massive heart attack only 3 1/2 months after Charles started working for him. Charles continued to work for J. Anderson’s widow and finished his apprenticeship under Marv Campbell, becoming a licensed Funeral Director in 1944.

Because Mr. and Mrs. Bugbee had no children of their own when Mrs. Bugbee passed away in 1950, she left half the business to Charles and the other half to their nephew Anderson B. King. When Anderson decided to pursue a different career path, Charles bought his half and  became the sole owner in 1956.

In 1958 he broke ground in Ship Bottom NJ and built his second Funeral Home, opening in 1959. Thirteen years later he decided to expand again and he built his third Funeral Home in Forked River, opening in 1972.

Charles’ son Robert graduated from Mercer County Community College’s Funeral Service Program in 1976, and is the Manager of the Forked River Location.  Charles’ son Gary graduated in 1978, as was a Funeral Director until passing away in 1992.  In 2004 Charles’ grandson Robert Jr. was licensed and his granddaughter Julie in 2009. Currently Charles’ granddaughter Crystal is attending Mercer County Community College and is serving her internship, with hopes of becoming licensed in the near future.