Leslie "Les" Benjamin Rigler, Jr.

Leslie “Les” Benjamin Rigler, Jr., aged 95, of Churchville, MD, passed away on Monday, December 1, 2025. Born November 6, 1930, in Mount Airy, MD, to Leslie Benjamin Rigler and Utha Louise (Gosnell) Rigler, Les grew up on a small dairy farm. Known as Benny to his family, he graduated from high school and enlisted in the Air Force in 1950, eventually being stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska. His service sparked an interest in electronics, training him to maintain communications equipment. After leaving the military, he used the GI Bill to earn a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Tri-State University in Indiana.

Returning home to Mt. Airy after college, Les began his career at the Martin Company in Middle River, Maryland. During his tenure at the Martin Company, Les contributed to the Titan II booster rocket for NASA’s Gemini program, then later worked for the Army’s Test and Evaluation Command (TECOM) at Aberdeen Proving Ground, supporting the testing of advanced avionics on military helicopters. At a church social in Mt. Airy he met Eva Cantwell. They soon became engaged and married, sharing a remarkable 68-year partnership.

He built his dream house in Churchville, Maryland, dedicating five years to the project. Les could describe every detail of the house, which echoed elements from his Mt. Airy childhood and forever connected him to his roots. Growing up on a farm during the Great Depression and World War II gave him both ingenuity and a can-do spirit—qualities reflected in his ability to take on complicated projects.

After retiring in his early seventies, Les spent two happy decades golfing at Aberdeen Proving Ground until age 90, and supporting his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Always ready to help solve problems and offer encouragement, Les passed away peacefully in his sleep at home, with Eva by his side, in the house they built together—the place he most wanted to be.

Eva M. (Cantwell) Rigler survives him, as do their children—George Rigler, Mary Beth Busch, and Robert Rigler; grandchildren Sean Rigler, Matthew Rigler, Benjamin Morris, Sara Busch, and R.J. Rigler; great-grandchildren Caleb Rigler and David Owens; and his brother, Timothy Rigler and his wife Regina. He was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Utha Jean Rupert.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Habitat for Humanity are encouraged, helping others realize their dreams of homeownership.