Lavada Haworth Rigsbee

August 6, 1920 - October 10, 2019

Lavada Haworth Rigsbee passed away on October 10, 2019 in San Antonio, TX at the age of 99. She was born in New Market, TN on Aug 6, 1920, the daughter of Pearl Whitlock and Clearance Haworth. Lavada graduated Suma Cum Laude from New Market High School, receiving awards for academic excellence, home economics, and music. As a teenager, she and two cousins traveled to various churches in the East Tennessee area playing and singing gospel music. After graduation, she worked in the business office of JC Penney Company in Knoxville where she met her late husband of 50 years, Melvin. Later she was business manager at two Knoxville churches. With her love of music, she was the pianist at Macedonia Methodist church for many years. She was a loving mother, and grandmother who loved to play piano and organ, cook, knit, crochet, read, and joke with her grandchildren when they became too exuberant. She always loved and missed her dog Penny. She is survived by her son Mike Rigsbee; six grandchildren: Emily Rigsbee Combs; Andrew, Brian, Daniel, Douglas, and Christopher Rigsbee; and twelve great grandchildren: Benjamin, Natalie, Brina, Melanie, Georgia, Caiden, Codi, Cayliegh, Megan, Allison, Mai-Li, and Vincent; and two great great grandchildren: Evey and Colton. She will be interred at a graveside service at Nance’s Grove Cemetery in New Market at 2:00 pm on Saturday November 9th.