Timothy L. Rigel

Rigel, Timothy L., 77, teacher, coach, and local businessman, of Springfield, Ohio, passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by family on February 12, 2026. He was born on February 5, 1949, in Waterloo, Iowa, to Gerald and Carolyn Rigel. Tim lived the majority of his life in Springfield. He was a 1967 graduate of South High School. He served on the Springfield Fire Department for five years. He graduated Cum Laude from Central State University in 1976 with a B.S. in Education and obtained his M.S. in Educational Administration from the University of Dayton in 1980. Tim began his teaching career at Shawnee High School, where he coached cross country, baseball, and taught Industrial Arts. From there, he would go on to work as a teacher and administrator at Schaefer Middle School for many years before moving over to South High School and finally retiring from Clark County JVS in 2000. He owned and operated several businesses in the Springfield community, most notably Forever Sports and Recreation. Tim was at his happiest when playing or coaching sports. He coached baseball and basketball (among other sports) at every level, from recreational leagues to Babe Ruth. He coached teams at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels as well as at Clark State Community College, where he coached women’s basketball and formed the men’s baseball program in 2003. Coach Rigel was a staple of the Springfield sports community and a mentor to many. He played baseball, basketball, and softball competitively for many years and in his later years, he joined the Springfield Pickleball Club and competed in tournaments from Ohio to Florida. Tim was inducted into the Springfield/Clark County Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016 as a member of the 1964 Ohio State Babe Ruth championship baseball team, WBLY. Tim was full of charisma and truly never met a stranger. He could make conversation with anyone, and he certainly did. Whether he was running errands or out at a local event, Tim always made time for conversation. Family was the centerpiece of Tim’s world and he especially loved spending time with his wife, Kathy, and his many grandchildren. Tim was preceded in death by his parents; uncles, Bob and Louie (Doll) Rigel; sister, Terry Sue Rigel; and stepbrothers, Rob and Doug Oesterle. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Kathryn (Herold) Rigel; brother, Steve (Vickie) Rigel; sister, Lynette (Vince) Amato; stepsister, Cindy (John) Frye; children, Jamie, Timmy, Nick, Ryan (Amy), and Liz (Jess) Rigel; grandchildren, TJ (Stephanie) Rigel, Alli (Jess) Prior, Marcus Rigel, Kyle (Kelly) Cooper, Nick (Caitlyn) Rigel, Jr., Olivia, Chris, and Clara Rigel, Wesley, Haiden, and Camden Rigel; two great grandchildren and counting; numerous extended family members; close friends; and the members of the Springfield Pickleball Club, whom he loved dearly and talked about often. His service will be held on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. in the CONROY FUNERAL HOME. Visitation will be held three hours prior, beginning at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research or the St. Vincent De Paul Society.