Earl Ready Diggins
May 1, 1917 ~ November 18, 2016
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Southern Pines, NC Earl Ready Diggins, 99, of Southern Pines, NC passed away November 18, 2016, at St. Joseph of the Pines Care Center in Southern Pines, NC. A service will be planned at a later date. Born in 1917 and grew up in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where he skipped a grade in school, excelled in sports, and became an accomplished musician – playing both piano and flute. He enjoyed playing with the Johnstown Symphony and Saturday Radio. At Purdue University he met his future wife, Jean, and graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He was later to earn two masters degrees in Physics and Metallurgy. When the war came, Earl joined the Navy. Having trained as a pilot at Purdue, the Navy sent him to special training at Harvard and MIT. Lt. Diggins was then deployed to Hawaii where he trained pilots how to use a new technology: RADAR. After the war (WWII) Earl and Jean raised a family with three children in suburban Pittsburgh. As a physicist he contributed to the Savannah Project for Westinghouse but most of his career was spent with the Blaw-Knox Corporation, leading teams of chemical process engineers to design innovative plants – from soybeans to coal gasification. Earl and Jean retired to Southern Pines in 1983, where Earl was able to pursue his dual passions for golf and Bridge (and some occasional Poker). Predeceased by his parents and wife Jean Soehner Diggins Earl is survived by his loving family, three children, Molly, Bill, and Sally, as well as six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. He was 99 years old. Memorials may be donated to the Belle Meade Chapel or the Scholarship Fund. Powell Funeral Home and Crematory of Southern Pines, NC is assisting the family Online condolences at: PinesFunerals.com
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Dear Molly, Billy and Sally
I want you to know that my mother, Helen, and I are thinking of you at this time. We had been calling Earl on the phone for a few days, but I only thought to google him yesterday, because we got no answer. What a p