Henry Riggan McDuffie III slipped away to Heaven on Monday, Sept. 2, 2024 at Richmond Co. Hospice Haven in Rockingham.
Henry was born on April 19, 1956, the son of the late Henry Riggan McDuffie Jr. and Virginia Roscoe McDuffie. He was the eldest of three children born to this union and the first grandchild on both the McDuffie’s and Roscoe’s sides. He was loved, celebrated and spoiled accordingly.
He was big brother to J. Michael McDuffie and Joan McDuffie Monroe. He grew up in the Hamlet schools and graduated from Richmond Sr. High School in the class of 1974. He attended Appalachian State University for one year; but was drawn back to Richmond County, where he worked in and with electrical supply companies in Hartsville, South Carolina, Cheraw, South Carolina, Albemarle and Rockingham. He was most recently employed at R.H. McRae Electrical Contractors of Rockingham.
Henry developed a love of the game of baseball at an early age. His first organized team experience was being a pitcher for the Senators on the Hamlet Youth League team. He continued playing from little league to high school. He was an exceptional first baseman and a proud member of the 1973 and 1974 Richmond Senior High School State Championship teams. He, also, excelled in football and was a tough-nosed big center.
His love for the game of baseball led to his entering the world of coaching for his nephew, Seth, and nieces, Kaytlin and Kelli as well as his great-nieces, Jaelyn and Addison. He coached baseball, soccer, basketball, and girls softball; but his first love was baseball. His love for the game of baseball led him to coach AAU baseball for the Richmond Rockies. He touched many young boys’ and girls’ lives as well as the lives of their families.
Henry was tough on his players but they loved and respected him as they knew he knew the game of baseball and the rules of the game. He taught many life lessons on and off the baseball field. One that is remembered fondly is after an all day of back to back AAU baseball, the team was treated to a meal at Pizza Hut. While the team was eating, an elderly lady came up and told Coach Henry how impressed she was that the players had removed their caps when they sat down to eat and how that many young boys no longer displayed that kind of respect and ethics. Coach Henry was much loved and respected by the players he coached and their families.
Henry shared, too, the love of family and friends. He never met a stranger and had the gift of “gab.” He had friends of all ages. He enjoyed his cousins immensely and they meant a great deal to him. He enjoyed their friendships and their adventures (and there were many).
Since 1988, the McDuffie family has established and celebrated the unofficial Super Bowl holiday with a pig picking and the gathering of family and friends. Henry was most instrumental in the preparations of making sure the wood was cut, the cookers cleaned, the pigs purchased, and manning and supervising the “boys” during the all night cooking of the pigs. He loved this “holiday” and his family and friends think he prepares the cleanest and best barbeque, second to none.
Henry was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, J. Michael McDuffie; and his niece, Kelli Burgess.
Left to cherish his memory are his sister, Joan McDuffie Monroe (Bill); sister-in-law, Kathy McDuffie Sanborn (Bruce); nephews, Josh McDuffie (Jessica) and Seth Burgess (Candace); nieces, Brittany McDuffie Chavis (Jared), Kaytlin Short (Hunter); great-nephews, Brooks McDuffie, Hank Chavis, Acen Burgess and Kelson Short; great-nieces, Jaelyn Monroe, Addison Monroe, Harper Tidd, Campbell Chavis, Hope Burgess, Collins Chavis, Bowyn Burgess and Raelyn Short. They adored him and he was so proud of each of them. Henry, too, is survived by his stepson, Sam Williams (Amy) and their children, Rhett and Olivia.
The family will receive friends, Thursday evening, Sept. 5, 2024 from 5-8 p.m. at Watson King Funeral Home in Hamlet, and at other times at the home of his sister and brother-in-law, Bill and Joan Monroe, 600 Bauersfeld St. Hamlet.
A celebration of Henry’s life will be held on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024 at 3 p.m. at Marks Creek Presbyterian Church, where he grew in his faith and was presently serving as a deacon. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Online condolences may be made at watson-kingfuneralhome.com.
Memorials may be made to Richmond Co. Hospice, 1119 US Hwy. 1 N Rockingham, NC 28379; or Marks Creek Presbyterian Church in c/o Ginger Seymour, 150 Two Sisters Lane, Rockingham, NC 28379.
Watson-King Funeral Home in Hamlet is serving the McDuffie family.
