Iona Rigge, 98, of Montevideo, passed away on Sunday, December 20th at Luther Haven Nursing Home. A walk-through visitation will be held on Sunday, December 27th from noon to 2 pm at the Wing-Bain Funeral Home in Montevideo. A private family service will follow. Burial will be held at Cottonwood City Cemetery.
Iona Elizabeth Rigge was born September 19, 1922, in Mapleton, Minnesota, the daughter of William & Helen (Ellis) Annis. She was baptized and confirmed in the Presbyterian faith. Iona graduated from the Redwood Falls High School in 1942 and went on to attend nursing school in Minneapolis. She worked at Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, California and later in the Redwood Falls Hospital and private care.
She was united in marriage to Harvey Rigge on March 21, 1953, at the First Presbyterian Church in Redwood Falls. They made their home in Vesta, Redwood Falls and finally settled on the north shore of School Grove Lake outside of Cottonwood where they farmed until retirement.
Iona was active at church with Ladies Aid and was a Deacon and was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She enjoyed gardening and hand work, especially embroidery and crocheting. Iona made many baby blankets for her family and friends. Iona always looked forward to the Chippewa County Fair, where she entered many of her creations. She loved to travel and visited Alaska, Colorado and wintered in Texas for several years. She also traveled to Niagara Falls which was something she had always wanted to do.
In her later years Iona moved to Brookside Manor, where she enjoyed the dorm life and was able to visit with friends every day and make new ones along the way. She moved to Luther Haven Nursing Home in 2016, where she participated in many of the activities especially bingo. Iona passed away on Sunday, December 20, 2020, at Luther Haven. She was 98 years of age.
She is survived by her children: Noreen Rigge (special friend Tim Miller) of Montevideo, Dean (Jennifer) Rigge of Cottonwood and Marlys (Brad) Weckwerth of Montevideo; grandchildren: Kent Weckwerth of Montevideo, Katie (Tim) Weston of Madison Lake, Corey (Honey) Rigge of Owatonna, Adam (Katie) Rigge of Marshall and Austin Rigge of Las Vegas, Nevada, great grandchildren: Bryce & Harvey Weston, Wynn, Beau and Scout Rigge, Evelyn & Hazel Rigge and Kennedy & Autumn Rigge; sisters-in law: Lorraine Rosa of Cottonwood and Gertrude Rigge of Echo, brother-in-law Vernon (Anita) Rigge of Granite Falls; and several nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, siblings: baby sister in infancy, and brothers: Donald, Eldon and Richard Annis.
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