Bert Campbell Williams Riggsby Skebeck, born March 20, 1951, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was a loving mother, grandmother, and devoted family member whose life was marked by creativity, resilience, and a quiet, steady warmth. She was raised in Chattanooga as the daughter of Fred Madison Williams, Jr. and Mary Virginia Williams (Poppy), with deep roots in family and faith.
Bert attended the University of Tennessee, where she studied Interior Design, and throughout her life she brought an artist’s eye to the world around her. She contributed to her community through roles in banking and office management, where her reliability and care for detail earned lasting respect. From 1988 to 1994, she lovingly cared for her mother, a season of devotion that reflected the depth of her loyalty and heart.
Bert was a gifted mixed‑media artist who loved to craft and create. She painted beautiful fish on silk and earned awards for her work. She loved her pets dearly, including her beloved Annie, a constant companion in her final years. She also had a true green thumb and kept flowering plants close wherever she lived. She found peace near the ocean and cherished life by the beach, especially in Panama City Beach, Florida, where she moved with her devoted husband Paul and became a beloved fixture in her community, keeping a watchful and caring eye on neighbors’ homes while they were away. She was also known for her love of the Christmas holidays, her enjoyment of college football and the Atlanta Braves, and in recent years, her enthusiasm for the activities of her granddaughters, Charlotte and Jocelyn.
She is pre-deceased by her parents, Fred Madison Williams, Jr. and Mary Virginia Williams, husband Paul Joseph Skebeck, her first cousin Nancy Campbell and great-niece Esther Williams.
Bert is survived by her son, Robert Ryan Riggsby, and his wife, Sara Elizabeth Riggsby; and by her beloved granddaughters, Charlotte Madison Riggsby and Jocelyn Campbell Riggsby, who knew her as “Momma Honey.” She is also survived by her brother, Rev. Dr. Fred Madison Williams III, and his wife Sherred Williams; their children Hope Williams Durack, husband Kim Durack, and sons Gibbs and Callan; and Fred Madison Williams IV (Madison), wife Kyoung Hi, and son Isaac; and her first cousins Seth Sizer Jr., Marilyn Sizer, Mary Elizabeth Smith, and
Aimee Lurey.
Bert will be remembered for her gentle nature, her thoughtful presence, and the way she showed love through small acts of care – always bringing cupcakes and cookies, a warm visit, and a steady hand in the lives of those she loved most.
A private memorial service will take place at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society. www.cancer.org
Condolences can be made at www.greenefuneralhome.net.