Martha Haynes Rigel of Lake Wales, Florida passed away February 2, 2022.
Martha was born January 11, 1930 in Decatur, AL to the late Iverson and Udessie Haynes. She grew up in Decatur along with her 11 siblings. Martha married William Malcolm Rigel after he returned from WWII and graduated from Decatur Senior High School in 1947. Over the next 16 years, Malcolm and Martha had six children while pastoring churches in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida.
Through the years, Martha served as pianist, organist, Sunday School teacher, Bible study leader, and women’s ministry group leader in the numerous Church of God congregations her husband pastored. Martha and family moved from Jacksonville to Lake Wales in 1968 to help in the founding of Warner University and South Lake Wales Church of God. As a pastor’s wife, homemaker, and mother of five, she became a member of the first freshman class at Warner and graduated in 1973. Martha then earned a master’s degree in counseling from USF and served as a social worker in Georgia and in Polk County, and as a professor and counselor at Warner University.
Martha had a special place in her heart for children. She treasured her time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She also enjoyed listening to music, playing the piano, singing hymns, reading, swimming, and multiple crafts, including china painting. Although plagued with crippling arthritis from her twenties on and eventually blinded by macular degeneration, Martha never complained or questioned her suffering. She remained a paragon of her Christian faith and family values.
Martha was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. W. Malcolm Rigel; her son, Peter Dale; her grandchildren, Joshua Rigel and Stephanie Snyder, and all but one of her siblings.
Martha is survived by her daughters, Robin Tate (David) of Land O’ Lakes, and Angela Crews (Dr. John) of Ft. Meade; sons Dr. Bill Rigel (Linda), Rev. James Rigel (Rev. Cheryl), and Rev. Paul Rigel (Colleen) all of Lake Wales, and Michael M. Rigel (Georgette) of Salt Lake City, UT; grandchildren Dr. Christa McCann, Cara Morgan, Rev. Jessica Rigel, Susan Lansberry, Geoffrey Flickema, Amanda Flickema, William Flickema, Isaac Rigel, Benjamin Rigel, and Caleb Rigel; and great grandchildren, Lauren McCann, Christopher McCann, Jeremiah Morgan, Lillian Morgan, Finn Flickema, Thea Flickema, and Emma Lansberry.
A memorial celebration will be at 11:00 on March 26 at the South Lake Wales Church of God, with visitation from 10:00 to 11:00 before the service. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Warner University Rigel Scholarship Fund (13895 Hwy 27, Lake Wales, FL 33859).
