Ferris State Athletics Mourns Passing Of Longtime Coach Walt Piggott

Big Rapids, Mich. - Ferris State University has lost a longtime coach and loyal fan as Bulldog Hall of Fame member Walt Piggott of Big Rapids passed away on Saturday (Aug. 8).

Piggott, who passed away at the age of 88, dedicated his life to coaching and teaching, first at the high school level followed by 27 years at Ferris State where he taught health and physical education in addition to coaching football, basketball and baseball.

A 2004 Bulldog Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Piggott served 15 years at FSU as head baseball coach, posting a 295-218-2 overall record. He guided the Bulldogs to four Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and four NAIA District 23 championships while garnering District 23 "Coach of the Year" honors in 1972-73 and GLIAC "Coach of the Year" laurels in 1983. 

Piggott, who was also an assistant baseball coach to Judd Folske for two years, was an assistant football (1962-68) and assistant basketball (1962-69) coach during his 27-year FSU tenure. He was named Bulldog baseball's "Honorary Fan" for the 1986 season.

A native of Benton Harbor, Michigan, Piggott tutored FSU baseball All-Americans Terry Kirkpatrick and Joe Compton among others. He also was an associate professor of health and physical education at Ferris. 

Prior to FSU, Piggott was an all-conference and honorable mention all-state basketball player in high school and the catcher for Western Michigan University's 1950 Mid-American Conference champions. A Navy veteran of World War II, Walt was also active in the First United Methodist Church and served on Habitat for Humanity committees from 1993-96.

Born April 2, 1927 in Benton Harbor, Piggott was the son of Walton and Erna (Spink) Piggott. Walt was a Navy veteran of World War II and he attended Western Michigan on the GI bill, graduating with his teaching degree. He met his wife Barbara Bishop of Benton Harbor while in college and they were married in 1950 and celebrated 65 years on marriage on June 25, 2015. 

Piggott is survived by his wife Barbara and four children, Susan (Dale) Rivers of Ft. Myers, Fla., Mary (Rudy) Rosner of St. John's, Mich., Diane (Don) Lobel of Saginaw and David (Cindy) Piggott of Sparta, Mich., along with 11 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and his sister, Roberta Sonnenberg of Big Rapids. He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings Mryna Detwiler, Theresa Barlow, Janet Swerbinsky, and Tom Piggott.

Memorial contributions can be made to "FSU Coach Walton & Barbara Piggott Endowment" and mailed to 420 Oak St., Prakken 101, Big Rapids, MI 49307. You can also donate on line at www.coachpiggott.org.

Visitation with family will be on Thursday (Aug. 13) from 6-8 p.m. and a celebration of life will take place on Friday (Aug. 14) at 11 a.m. Both will take place at Daggett-Gilbert Funeral Home in Big Rapids.