Barbara Riggs Funeral

Walk-in Song - Through the Years (Kenny Rodgers

Welcome and Prayer

I want to welcome you here this morning as we both remember and celebrate the life of Barbara Riggs as she has gone home to be with her Heavenly Father. As we begin our service, let us go to the father in prayer.

Heavenly Father we thank you for this day that you have given us, to gather and remember and celebrate the life of Barbara Riggs. We thank you for the family and friends who have gathered here today to honor her. Father, as we spend this time together today, I pray that you would be with us. I pray that you would provide your comfort and peace. I pray that this service will honor Barbara appropriately, and that you will be glorified in all that is done here today. It is in Jesus Name we pray, Amen.

Obituary Reading

Barbara Dean (Seifert) Riggs, 83, of Evansville, IN passed away on Monday, March 20, 2023 at River Bend Nursing and Rehabilitation. She was born in Mt. Vernon, IN on February 21, 1940.

Barb graduated from Central High School in 1958. She retired from Bristol Myers after 37 years. She loved to sing and was involved in Southern Gospel Music, Barbara thought one should always have a song in their heart. Her favorite vacations were being on a beach in Florida. She loved her dogs and birds. Barbara always said she was meaner than a snake. She loved Jesus and was a life-time member at New Bethel Baptist Church. She didn’t know a stranger and loved people, especially her family.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 47 years, Jerry Wayne Riggs; parents, mother and step-father, Florence and Oscar Cates; father, Kermit Seifert.

Barbara is survived by her daughter, Cora Beth Riggs (David); grandchildren, Tira Truitt, Zoe Truitt, Mikayla Duffy, Abby Mossberger; sister and brother-in-law, Peggy and Lyndel Riggs.

Song - in the garden

Funeral Sermon

Remembering Barbara

As we celebrate Barbara’s life today, I think it is important that we take time to reflect on who Barbara Barbara was.

She was a hard worker

Graduated in 1958 from Central High School

Had a scholarship for singing to U of E

Took a job at Mead Johnson

Retired after 37 years from Bristol Meyers.

She was someone who could get things done. Fast and the right way.

She was affectionately referred to as “The General”

When Cora and her father were both working in the same place, their manager joked that all they needed was Barbara to come work there as well. They both laughed that if that happened, she would have the manager’s job by the end of the day.

She was talented

Loved Southern Gospel Music

Met her husband through this

Played piano and sang at church throughout her life.

Loved her family -

She loved her daughter.

And her friends, who would often call her mom.

She loved her grandaughters and was so happy to be around them and love them.

Didn’t know a stranger

Always willing to talk to new people.

Spoke her mind

Described herself as “meaner than a snake”

My first time meeting her.

Today I would encourage you to remember the wonderful times that you had with Barbara.

The example that she set for you.

The lessons that you learned from her.

The times that you were able to laugh together.

Like everyone, she had wonderful times in her life, and at times faced difficulties. Through it all, and up to the very end, whatever she faced she was able to face with confidence.

As capable as she was, this confidence that she had was not because of her faith in her abilities, but her faith in her creator and Savior.

One of Barbara’s favorite sayings was, “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” That comes from this verse.

2 Corinthians 5:6–9 ESV

So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.

Barbara understood that while we live this life, we are away from the Lord. We still experience his blessings and goodness, but we also face difficulties as a result of sin in the world.

Barbara had also trusted Jesus as her Savior and she knew that this life is not all that there is. She knew that because of her faith in Christ, when this life ended it was not the end, but the beginning of eternity with God.

While she is now absent from her physical body, I can say with confidence that right now, Barbara is at home with the Lord.

Any and every difficulty that she faced, she faces no longer. She is able to worship her savior for all of eternity.

To put eternity in perspective I want you to remember the words of the hymn Amazing Grace, “When we’ve been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun. We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun.

This is the hope that Barbara had while she lived. This is the hope is now her reality.

This is the hope that all those who have believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ hold today.

I am confident that Barbara would want me to share with you about this hope that she had. because of the next verse of this passage is this. 2 Corinthians 5:10

2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

We will all stand before God and by our own merit we will all be guilty because of the sin in our life. Romans 6:23

Romans 6:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

This gift of eternal life, of forgiveness and grace is available through Christ. it is the promise of eternal life with him.

this is available to all who believe John 3:16

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

If you do not have a relationship with Christ this morning, I implore you to turn to him today. Find a family member, a friend, or a pastor who can talk with you about what it means to have this same hope that was so evident in Barbara’s life.

So today we celebrate Barbara’s life. Let today be a day that you remember all that Barbara meant to you. Remember all of the lesson’s that she taught you. Remember all of the wonderful times that you had with her. Going forward, carry those things with you in your heart. While Barbara is no longer physically with us, the impact she had on your life is something you will always be able to carry with you.

We are saddened today for ourselves, because Barbara is no longer with is. But we should not be sad for Barbara, because Barbara is no longer with us, but is at home with the Lord.

And that should bring us great peace and joy.

Closing Prayer

Let us pray,

Heavenly Father we thank you for the life of Barbara Riggs. We thank you for all that she was to so many people. We pray that we will always be able to remember the times that we had with her and the lessons that we learned from her. I celebrate and am overjoyed to know that she is with you now. I pray that you will comfort those who are mourning. That you will give them your peace. That you will surround them with your love. I pray that we can live our lives with the same hope and confidence in your promises that Barbara did. That we can learn from her example and live this temporary life full of trouble with joy because we know of the eternal life with you that awaits us. We thank you for Barbara, and all that she meant to us. It is in Jesus name that we pray. Amen.

song - back to God