Help Lay Susan Riggs to Rest with Her Family

Hello, my name is Steffanie Fisher (Bradshaw, but always a Riggs by blood), and as many of you know, my mother, Susan Riggs, recently passed away in the ICU at Valley Hospital in Las Vegas, NV. These past few weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster. As her only child, I did everything I could to be there for her during her final days. While our relationship was far from perfect, it was ours, and I loved her deeply.

During this time of grief, I faced many challenges. I traveled back and forth from Phoenix to Las Vegas to be by her side and take care of her belongings at the nursing home where she had lived. My cousin, Lexi Riggs, has been an immense support, and I truly don’t know how I would have gotten through this without her. My uncles, Ronnie and Eddy Riggs, as well as my aunt, Kim, have been incredibly helpful too. I am also so grateful for my husband, Eric Fisher. He’s been a wonderful father and took care of our daughter while I handled everything that needed to be done.

It’s unfortunate that death tends to bring families together after so many years, but it’s been a blessing to reconnect with my cousins, whom I haven’t seen in 20 years. It’s amazing how everything has worked out this way.

However, I never anticipated the financial burden that would come with laying my mom to rest. Just before Christmas, I found out that her burial plot, which was supposed to have been paid for two years ago, had not been covered after all. This left me with the heartbreaking decision to cremate her—something she had never wanted. She had always expressed her wish to be buried next to her mother, father, and sister. But due to unforeseen financial difficulties, this seemed impossible.

Thankfully, my mom’s lifelong friend, Mitch Amos, a mortician for over 55 years and now the director of La Paloma Mortuary, has been an incredible source of support. Mitch has guided me through every step of this process. I am beyond grateful for his kindness—not only as my mom’s dear friend but also for caring for my grandparents’ funeral services over the last few decades, and now for my mom’s.

In a beautiful turn of events, we’ve managed to arrange for my mom’s urn to be placed next to her family—her mother, Bonnie Jean Gillies Riggs (66), her father, Max Stewart Riggs (Deceased - Former owner of Max Riggs Construction of Las Vegas, NV), and her sister, Geneva Riggs (who passed away at 14). The urn will actually be placed directly on top of her sister’s casket in a pyramid vault at Woodland Cemetery in Las Vegas, NV. This is truly a miracle, and I’ve seen God's hand at work throughout these last couple of weeks. It feels like everything is falling into place, exactly as it should.

Unfortunately, I still need help covering the remaining costs for my mom’s burial and the marker. The total cost to bury her urn next to her family and place the marker is $5,500, which includes: the right to place the urn, the granite headstone and its placement with installation, intermittent recording fees, administration fees, and the pyramid urn vault. Any support, whether financial or simply by sharing this campaign, would mean more to me than words can express.

I am truly thankful for your love and support during this difficult time. Thank you for being a part of this journey.