Funeral services will be at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 11, 2012 at Crestwood Memorial Chapel for Mr. Preston Eugene Diggs, age 87, of Gadsden, who died on Friday, March 9, 2012. Pastor Tim Diggs will officiate. Burial will be at Crestwood Memorial Cemetery. Crestwood Memorial Funeral Home will direct.
Mr. Diggs proudly served as a Corporal in the United States Army during World War II. He served in the Battery C 443rd AAA Automatic Weapon Battalion. His medals and campaigns include, Normandy D-Day plus 3, Battle of the Bulge, Northern France, Ardenes, Rhienland and Central Europe. His declarations and citations include, European Africian Middle Service with one Silver Star, the Good Conduct Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the distinguished Unit Badge. He retired from South Central Bell as a manager with 36 years of service and was a member of the Telephone Pioneer's Club of America. Mr. Diggs was of the Baptist Faith and was a member of the East Gadsden Church of Nazarene for over 60 years. He also proudly coached Little League baseball for many years back in the 1960's.
He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Nellie Diggs, brothers, Infant Diggs, Billy Lee Diggs, George Herschel Diggs, Jr., Gerald Diggs and Earl Diggs.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 64 ½ years, Christine Diggs; brother-in-law, Walter (Edie) Heald; sisters-in-law, Mildred Diggs, Gina Diggs, Virginia Diggs, Sammye Heald and Jeanine Diggs; a step-sister, Gayle Pipes; and numerous loving nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be his nephews.
Special gratitude to doctors: Wade, Warren, Hwang, Ghandi and Ghandi; nurse, Michael Nichols as well as the other associates of Gadsden Regional Medical Center; and a special thanks to friends and nurses, Carla, Teresa and Carmen of Amedysis Hospice as well as Home Healthcare.
The family will receive friends Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Crestwood Memorial Funeral Home.