Betty Wagley Rigsby

Betty Lou Wagley Rigsby, 88, a long time resident of Marthaville, Louisiana went to be with the Lord on September 15, 2016 surrounded by family and friends after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Funeral services for Betty Lou Wagley Rigsby will be held on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 at 2:30 p.m. at the Beulah Methodist Church, 2279 Highway 487 in Marthaville, LA, with Dr. John Foster and Sister Charlotte Birdwell officiating. Burial to follow in the Beulah Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 20, 2016 at the Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home in Natchitoches, LA and immediately preceding the service from 1:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. at the Beulah Methodist Church. Betty was born on July 3, 1928 in Pleasant Hill, LA, to Albert and Ethel Wagley. In 1947, Betty married Luther E. “Dutch” Rigsby and the couple had two children, L.E. “Pee Wee” Rigsby, Jr. and Connie Rigsby Birdwell. In 1951, Betty and Dutch moved to Arizona where they lived for six years. They returned to the Marthaville area in 1957, where they remained and lived happily. Betty was a lovely, generous lady who loved her family and friends and cherished long Sunday dinners and visits with them. She enjoyed reading and spending hours bird watching from the wooden swing in her yard. She had a passion for gardening and possessed the ability to grow almost any flower or vegetable. Betty and Dutch took great pride in canning their fruits and vegetables and preparing their delicious jelly, which they would distribute to friends and family in the community. Betty was an active member of the Beulah Methodist Church and worked as a volunteer maintaining the Beulah Cemetery for many years. She also served as a commissioner at her local polling place for elections and served as the commissioner-in-charge of her polling place for many years. Betty was preceded in death by her husband Luther E. “Dutch” Rigsby; her parents Albert and Ethel Wagley; four brothers, James Wagley, Robert “Buster” Wagley, Fred “Jiggs” Wagley, and Frank “Popeye” Wagley; her grandson, Rusty Rigsby; and her great-grandson, Andrew Moran. She is survived by her son, L.E. “Pee Wee” Rigsby, Jr. and his wife Linda of Natchitoches, and her daughter, Connie Rigsby Birdwell and her husband Mervin of Natchitoches. Betty is also survived by one brother, Charlie Wagley of Duncan, AZ, and three sisters, Bennie Rhodes of Natchitoches, Sue Gaddis and her husband Lloyd “Toy” of Belmont, LA, and Mary “Cookie” Reeve and her husband Jimmy of Marthaville. Betty is also survived by five granddaughters, Rebecca Rigsby Moran and her husband Tony of Natchitoches, LA, Jennifer Birdwell Cheramie and her husband Ethan of Gretna, LA, Nicole Birdwell Watkins and her husband Jeremy of Fort Worth, TX, Morgan Rigsby Thornton and her husband Brandon of Natchitoches, LA, and Lindsey Rigsby Vertichio of Port Charlotte, FL. Betty is survived by seven great grandchildren: Tony “T.J.” Moran, Jr. and wife Amber of Deville, LA; Jackson, Annabelle, and Grayson Cheramie of Gretna, LA; Nicholas and Luke Watkins of Fort Worth, TX; and Annabeth Thornton of Natchitoches, LA. Betty is also survived by many nieces and nephews. Those honored to be pallbearers are Joseph Rhodes, III, Buddy Gaddis, James Reeve, Ethan Cheramie, Jeremy Watkins, David Rigsby, and Bruce Rigsby. Our family welcomes flowers or memorial donations made in honor of Betty to the Alzheimer’s Association or St. Jude Children’s Hospital. The family would like to express a special thanks to the staff of Natchitoches Community Care Center, present and past, and Hospice of Natchitoches for the care, love, and support they provided to Betty and her family.