SCHOOL TO HONOR WOMAN'S MEMORY : LIBRARY DEDICATION TO PAY TRIBUTE TO GENEROUS SPIRIT OF RETIREE.

Byline: Enrique Rivero Daily News Staff Writer

Six years after her retirement and more than a year after her death, staff members at Maple Elementary School still remember former librarian Pauline Riggs' full heart, full laugh - and full picnic basket.

Today, the school is scheduled to dedicate the renamed Riggs Library in memory of the woman who touched the lives of nearly everyone with whom she came in contact. She died last year at age 73. Riggs - Polly, to those who knew her - always had a word of encouragement and a basketful of food for every occasion.

``This was an exceptional woman, it was a woman who anyone who knew her would say she was the best person they knew,'' said kindergarten teacher Kathleen Snyder, who helped organize the dedication. ``She was so loving, so fun-loving, yet had so much class.''

Even after retiring in 1990, Riggs remained a frequent visitor to the school, often appearing with a picnic basket stuffed with the brownies and other treats she loved to cook.

``She constantly was feeding everyone - they called her an angel with a picnic basket,'' Snyder said. ``She loved people in many ways and one of them was through food.''

Chris Riggs, the librarian's youngest son, said he and his brothers Robin and Richard are delighted with the honor to their mother.

``It's incredible, the family is just thrilled with it,'' said Riggs, 34. ``All of us are looking forward to being there.''

Two plaques have been installed at the library - one on the outside reading ``Riggs Library'' and the other inside inscribed with ``In memory of Polly Riggs/our beloved librarian dedicated October 1996.''

Chris Riggs said his mother, who died of cancer on May 28, 1995, had been involved with the Conejo school district since 1965, starting out as a volunteer school aide at Manzanita Elementary School.

She was hired by the district in 1967 after the death of her husband and worked her way up to the Maple school librarian post.

Born in Oklahoma, she moved to California in the early 1950s with her husband and settled in Newbury Park. A devout Christian, who was proud of her Chickasaw Indian heritage, she helped found Newbury Park First Christian Church.

``She was a voting member of the nation, she was proud of that,'' Chris Riggs said. ``She voted in every tribal election even though she was here in California.''

She never remarried after her husband's death, raising her three young sons by herself and re-entering the work force after spending so many years as a typical ``1950s housewife,'' he said.

Then, Chris Riggs recalled, his mother didn't even drive and had to start her life over from scratch. ``She was very optimistic. She just kind of marched to her own drum and took care of the rest of us along the way.''

About 400 people turned out for Polly's funeral, Chris Riggs said. ``There were people I never even met.''

To him, she was almost too good to be true.

``If you got up to go fishing early in the morning, she'd be up and have steak and eggs ready for you,'' he said. ``It was stuff like that - she was just beyond expectation in most areas.''

She loved to cook and it frequently played a role when she helped others. Whenever someone was hospitalized or was ``doing something that required their mental focus on something that wasn't so pleasant,'' his mother was sure to show up with that picnic basket.

``Food would always show up in the hospital or wherever it was needed,'' he said.

To the end, she followed Christ's teachings to be of service to others, he said. ``She made other people happy - it made her happy,'' Chris Riggs said.

The dedication is scheduled to be part of today's student awards ceremony scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at Maple Elementary School, 3501 Kimber Drive.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: Maple Elementary students gather around Chris, left, and Robin Riggs, sons of the school's former librarian Polly Riggs, who died in 1995.

Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News