Kayla Lynn Rigney

1988 - 2024

Kayla Lynn Rigney
12/03/1988 - 03/02/2024
Kayla Lynn Rigney finished her earthly race on March 2, 2024, and went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Kayla was born in Midland, TX on December 3, 1988, to Rick and Janet Bender. Rick and Janet raised their daughter in the fear and admonition of the Lord, with a profound respect for the music of the spheres. Kayla grew up singing and decided that she wanted to spend her life teaching others to love music the way she did. She graduated from Hardin Simmons University in 2011 with a degree in Music Education and Choral Conducting. One of the highlights of her time at Hardin Simmons was the creation of the school's first acapella group "Upbeat".
She returned to Midland after graduating to pursue a career as a high school choir director. She taught students at Lee Freshman before becoming the Associate Choir Director at Lee High School. One of her crowning achievements at Lee was taking 60 students to Croatia and Italy to perform in various churches including St. Mark's Basilica in Venice. She also had her women's ensemble selected to perform at TMEA which is one of the highest honors for choral directors in the state of Texas.
During her time teaching in Midland, she met Daniel Rigney, son of Bill and Greta Rigney, and the two were smitten from the beginning. They started dating in September 2012, were engaged in January 2013, and tied the knot on June 22, 2013. Together they moved to Minneapolis, MN in 2018 where Kayla continued teaching choir at Agape Christi Academy and sang on the worship team at Cities Church. While music was her great passion, her heart was for her children, her family, and her friends. She was fond of walks with her kids in the crisp fall air and game nights with friends, where her competitiveness knew no equal. Her favorite event of the year was the Minnesota State Fair where she could be found eating Big Bacon on a Stick and Sweet Martha's cookies. There was never a day when Kayla's home wasn't filled with singing and laughter. Her husband and children are all great lovers of music because of her.
Kayla is survived by her husband, Daniel William Rigney; her three children, William Andrew Rigney, Elizabeth "Ellie" Lynn Rigney, and Ezra "Rex" Rigney. Kayla is also survived by her parents Rick and Janet Bender of Midland, TX; her brother and sister-in-law, Bryce and Leslie Bender of Pittsburgh, PA; sister, Melody Bender of Midland, TX; and grandmothers Mary Moore of Las Cruces, NM and Jan Bender of Midland, TX. Kayla is also survived by her mother- in-law Greta Rigney of Midland, TX; her brother-in-law and wife, Joe and Jenny Rigney, their children, Sam, Peter, and Jack; brother-in-law and wife, Robby and Alison Rigney, their children, Will, Luke, Hank, and Emmy.
A resolute faith in God sustained Kayla and her family when she was diagnosed with a grade 4 astrocytoma brain tumor in July of 2022. Her first emergency surgery occurred while she was 16 weeks pregnant with her third child. Throughout all the treatments, surgeries, and hospitalizations that followed, Kayla has never ceased to sing of the goodness of God. Her love for the Lord ran so deep that a week following her surgery she was on stage at Cities Church singing with the band. Every day for Kayla was a gift from a sovereign God who loves His children so much that even in the valley of the shadow of death we fear no evil for God is with us.
A visitation will be held in Midland, TX on March 19, from 5:00-7:00pm at the Branch at npw. A service will be held in Midland, Texas at Stonegate Fellowship on March 20, at 1:00pm. Another service will be held in St. Paul, Minnesota at Cities Church on March 23, at 3:00pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Agape Christi Academy https://www.agapechristi.com/kayla/ and the Lee High School Alumni Choir https://www.lhsalumnichorale.com/donate.html.
Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.