Bobbie Rigby

Bobbie Merle (Bracewell) Rigby, born March 16, 1932, passed peacefully on March 7, 2026, leaving behind a legacy rooted in faith, love, and family. Her life was a testament to the quiet strength of a woman who built a home where everyone felt safe, welcomed, and deeply loved.

Just before her seventeenth birthday, Bobbie married the love of her life, beginning a partnership that would shape the rest of her days. Together they shared more than fifty years of marriage before she was widowed, a bond built on loyalty, hard work, and a shared dedication to their family.

In the early years of their marriage, Bobbie traveled the country with her husband E.C., affectionately known as “Daddy Jo,” as he worked as a pipe liner. With five young children and a trailer house, “Mama Jo” carried the heart of the family wherever the road led, making even the smallest space feel like home.

In 1965, her traveling years took an extended break and Bobbie did what she did best—she built a home that would become the center of family life for generations. Within those walls she raised her five children with patience, strength, and a love of God. Her home was never just a house; it was a place for her kids to turn to… and return to in times of joy and struggles.

Bobbie was never one to shy away from hard work. Whether it was working outdoors, tending to the responsibilities that came with country life, or managing the endless tasks of a homemaker.

Though her passing leaves a space that cannot be filled, the life she built continues in the family she raised and the traditions she created. Her legacy lives on in the laughter around family tables, in the stories still told, and in the love that binds her family together.

Bobbie was preceded in death by her parents, William Travis (WT) and Irene Bracewell; her brother, Charles Bracewell; her daughter-in-law, Sharon Rigby; and her grandson-in-law Kenny Meadors.

She is lovingly remembered by her children, Steve Rigby (Susan), David Rigby (Robin), Laura Hixson (Gary), Paul Rigby, and Lynda Cook (Wes). Bobbie was a proud grandmother to Steve’s children, Tammy, Tracy, Clint (Rachael), Courtney (Rayne), Brock, and Brooke (Michael); David’s children, David (Michelle), and Holly (Ryan); Laura’s children, Melissa (James), Meagan (Juan), and Steven (Liz); Paul’s children, Crissy (Bill), and Jonathan; and Lynda’s son, Dallas (Mikayla). Her legacy continues through her great-grandchildren: Elizabeth, Melody, Kaitlyn, Caroline, Kendall, Camille, Nolan, Owen, Blue, Scott, Emma, Laura Ashley, CJ, Tyler, Lexi, Travis, Luke, Destanie, Zoe, and Joseph. She was also blessed with great-great-grandchildren: Adrian, Claire, Brooks, Fable May, Charlotte Irene, Koral, Bryliee and Asher. Bobbie’s life reminds us that the truest legacy is not found in things, but in the love we give, the work we do for those we cherish, and the memories we leave behind.

A funeral service, officiated by Bro. Charlie Miller, will be held in Madisonville Funeral Home on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at 1 P.M. Visitation will take place one hour before the service at 12 P.M. Burial will follow in the Bedias Methodist Cemetery in Bedias, Texas.

Pallbearers: Steven Stover, Clint Rigby, David Rigby, Jr., Jonathan Rigby, Brock Rigby, Dallas Gressett

Final arrangements for Bobbie Merle Rigby are under the compassionate care and direction of Madisonville Funeral Home, Madisonville, Texas.