Obituary for William “Bill” Rigdon

William Everman Rigdon a self-taught farmer went on to farm a lot more acres. Bill, at the age of 72, died from IDIOPATHIC PULMONARY FIBROSIS in the Oklahoma Heart Hospital in Oklahoma City on Monday afternoon, August 4, 2014, with three of his five sons by his side along with his wife of thirty years.

Bill was born on September 14, 1941, in Ponca City Hospital to Maurice Everman and Kathleen (Herter) Rigdon. After moving in the 1940’s from Newkirk to a farm north of Blackwell he began his lifelong love of farming as a young boy, being the only one in his family to farm.

He graduated from Blackwell High School with the class of 1959 and furthered his education at Eastern Oklahoma State College in Wilburton before returning to Northern Oklahoma College in Tonkawa.

In 1964 he married Kathryn Ann Gray in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and to this union were three sons. They include Don Rigdon and wife Kerry, and their family of Douglasville, Georgia, Dale Rigdon and his family of Las Vegas, Nevada, Jim Rigdon and wife Kim, and their family of Blackwell, and daughter, Nell Rigdon and family of Clearwater, Florida.

On June 1, 1984, he married A. Louise Osburn and they began their farming career together. To this union, two stepsons became sons to him. They are David Osburn Jr. and wife Toni, and their family of Amarillo, Texas, and Michael Osburn, who preceded him in death this year.

Bill was a diversified producer of wheat and grain sorghum and in later years added soybeans and corn. For many years he raised alfalfa hay and at one time had 330 acres. Livestock was part of the mix of many things he raised, including sheep and cattle.

In 1992 he received the Goodyear Conservation Award and in 2006 was named Master Agronomist by Oklahoma State University’s Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

Bill was a supporter of anything agricultural and has allowed Oklahoma State University to have a sorghum test plot on him for many years with his wishes to continue upon his death. He holds membership in many agricultural associations.

He is survived by his wife, Louise Rigdon of Blackwell; four sons, Don, Dale, Jim and David; a daughter, Nell; twelve grandchildren; four great grandchildren; two sisters, Diane Crossland and husband Jim of Newkirk and Susan Pierce and husband Don of Stillwater; and many cousins and loved ones.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two grandsons, Ryan Osburn and Quintin Day; and a son, Michael Osburn.

Services are scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Thursday, August 7th in the First Baptist Church in Blackwell with Rev. Rick Longcrier of First Baptist Church in Miami, Oklahoma, officiating. Burial will follow in the Blackwell Cemetery with Steve Wooderson officiating.

Casketbearers will be Rick Adams, Stan Claybaker, Brady Cooper, Brian Hoeft, Chad Otto and Mike Taylor.

The family requests in lieu of food and flowers that donations be made in Bill’s honor to a farming scholarship in c/o Roberts and Son Funeral Home, 120 W. Padon, Blackwell, Oklahoma 74631.