Stephen Driggers

March 2, 1940 – October 30, 2021

Steve Driggers, beloved husband of Penny Driggers, passed away peacefully with loving care from family, Accel at Longmont, and TRU Community Care Hospice. He was predeceased by his parents Clyde Driggers and Flora (Parent) Driggers, and sister Diane Herbst. Born and raised in Hartford, Connecticut, Steve earned a BS in Education from the University of Connecticut, and two Masters degrees from Central Connecticut State University. He spent his entire career educating fourth and sixth graders at both East Farms and West District Schools in Farmington, Connecticut. Besides teaching, he raised animals and grew organic vegetables on 20 acres in Glastonbury.

Additionally, he graduated from the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy in 1985 and had a thriving second career. A few years after Steve and Penny married in 1986, he retired and they moved to a five-acre property in Holualoa on the island of Hawai’i. Forever the farmer, he grew Kona coffee. Steve also worked at Hawaiian Gardens Nursery before agreeing to run the greenhouse at pacemaker inventor Dr. Earl Bakken’s Kiholo Bay estate. In 1998 they moved to Cape Cod, Massachusetts then back to Connecticut’s Farmington Valley.

In 2010 Steve and Penny moved to Longmont, Colorado to be closer to his step-daughter Jennifer and her family. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s shortly after the move, but that didn’t stop him from continuing his love of gardening. He was active in the Longmont Parkinson’s Support Group and started a jigsaw puzzle exchange for the members. He is survived by step-daughter Jennifer Peers, her husband Eric Peers and their daughter Allison; three daughters, Deborah Zagala and Naomi Soliz of Texas, and Cynthia Wilson of Colorado; and numerous cousins, nieces and grandchildren. A private family celebration of Steve’s life will be held.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Steve’s memory may be made to:

TRU Community Care, 2594 Trailridge Drive East, Lafayette, CO 80026, ( www.trucare.org/donate (http://www.trucare.org/donate) ); Parkinson’s Association of the Rockies, 13255 Colorado Blvd., Suite 204B, Denver, Colorado 80222, ( http://parkinsonrockies.org ) ; or the charity of choice.