Maybelle A. Rygh

Maybelle Alice "May" Rygh (nee Sampson) died on Wednesday May 7, 2025 in her home at the age of 92.
May was born on July 23, 1932 to Kenneth and Mildred (Erickson) Sampson. At an early age she was taught and lived a life loving Jesus. Her involvement with her church eventually led her to meet and marry her loving and devoted husband Reverend Gerald L. Rygh June 1, 1954. Gerry and May lived a life filled with love, compassion, and dedication to ELCA parishes in Milwaukee, Chicago and St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Aurora, Il. May often reflected that she had been blessed with a "good, good life" that included treasured family, friends and faith.
May enjoyed giving her time, talents and regular financial donations by spending endless hours teaching Sunday School for decades, playing the piano for the children, sharing her baked goods, flower and vegetable harvests, knitting creations, doting on her grandchildren and giving to the Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry, Hesed House, The Salvation Army and her church. May strongly felt the call: 'You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.'
Professionally, after church secretarial work, May enjoyed a career at Waubonsee Community College as a Dean's Assistant and a Coordinator of Instruction. After retiring from WCC she worked for another 28 years as a law assistant with Mickey, Wilson, Weiler and Renzi finally retiring at the age of 88. May loved keeping her mind busy and making amazing friends in her careers.
May is survived by sons David (Sharon) of Montgomery, IL, Paul (Patti) of Wilson, MI, and daughter Rebekah (Shea) Lehman of Washington Island, WI., ten grandchildren Leah (Doug) Bohr, Kenny (Amber) Rygh, Nathan Rygh, Katy Rygh, Luke (Barb Applebaum) Rygh, Danny (Christina Lyznicki) Rygh, Marin (Alex Klapka) Lehman, Brynn Lehman, Jillian (Alex) Johnson, and Anya Lehman, and ten great-grandchildren Avery Rygh, Odin and Jackson Rygh, Ben, Evan and Ellie Bohr, June and Francie Rygh, and Archer and Annie Rygh, sisters Laurie Carlson and Sandy Mayhew of Fountain Hills, AZ, as well as several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband and parents, she is preceded in death by her sister, Myra Olson.
A visitation will be held at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, 27 S. Edgelawn Dr., Aurora, IL, on Friday, May 16, 2025 at 1:00 pm, followed by a 2:00 pm funeral service.
Memorials in May's memory may be made to St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Hesed House, Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry, or the Salvation Army.