Published: February 27, 2009 03:46 am      

Ruth Nadine Waller

Funeral services for Ruth Nadine Waller will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Church of The Nazarene with Daniel and Debra Smith officiating. Burial will follow in Roselawn Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Bailey & Foster Funeral Home, Palestine.

Mrs. Waller died Wednesday at the David E. Foster Hospice Unit at Palestine Regional Medical Center, just a few days shy of her 90th birthday.

She was born March 31, 1919 in Wanette, Okla., she was the ninth of 11 children born to Ernest Daniel Briggs and Minnie Johnson Briggs. She was raised and educated in the Wanette area, attending Boyer Elementary School and graduated from Wanette High School. She married Edward Rigsby, a professional baseball player for the Kilgore Rangers at the time, in 1938. Later his employment in the oil industry took them to Oklahoma City, Los Angeles, Calif. and Andrews, Texas. They made their home in Palestine after retirement in 1969.

Mr. Rigsby died in 1976. In 1983 she remarried the Rev. James W. Waller. Mr. Waller died in 2005. Also preceding her in death were her mother and father; one son, Edward Dee Rigsby; three brothers, Floyd Hugh Briggs, D.A. Briggs and Ernest Darrell Briggs; six sisters, Ella Mae Hobbs, Ruby Bessie Hardin, Cora Ollie Shelley, Annie Nora Beets, Goldie Elva McDaniel and Wilma Louise Furr; one granddaughter, Stephanie Kaase Snider.

She is survived by children, John Evan and Diana Rigsby of Houston, Amy (Mrs. Edward) Rigsby of Houston, Rebecca Gail (Waller) and Jim Castaneda of Cabot, Ark., Janet Sue (Waller) and Harvey Kaase of Brownwood, Texas; a foster son, Terry Hadaway, a sister Mrs. Bertie Lee “Lou” Ward; and a sister-in-law, Mrs. D.A. (Rose Mary) Briggs of Cushing, Okla.; grandchildren, Dennise Marie and Keith Kamen Edwards, Deborah Ann and Karl Douglas Brosch, Jeffrey David and Anna Schmidt, Jason Jon and Myrea Schmidt, Richard Edmund Blohm III, Lisa Christine Blohm, Kelli Lynn McLaren, Leslie Jo and Robert Glenn Cade, Charles Andrew Snider, Kevin Wayne and Laura Kaase; great-grandchildren, Kamen Ryan Edwards, Julia Marie Edwards, Kyle Christian Brosch, Abigayle Cecelia Brosch, Alexander Schmidt, Julie Katherine McLaren, Bryan Paul McLaren, Jordan McLaren, Alex James Cade, Becca Marie Cade, Cole Andrew Snider, Katelyn Louise Snider, Bailey Sinclair Kaase and Brista Raye Kaase.

There are many nieces and nephews and friends who loved her very much. She has left us all with many loving memories which we will hold dearly to our hearts forever.

Nadine was a member of the Nazarene Church of Palestine. She loved her church, Daniel and Debra Smith (her pastors), and all the members. She embraced each and every visit, card and phone call from them over the past several months. She also enjoyed the love and support of several long term friends. She loved her family, always looking forward to the next holiday or reunion when they were all together.

Pallbearers will be grandsons and nephews. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Bailey & Foster Funeral Home, Palestine.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Palestine Church of the Nazarene building fund.