Elizabeth (Betsy) White Rigell

Elizabeth (Betsy) Joyce White Rigell passed on to her heavenly home on the evening of Tuesday, January 30th, 2024, at the age of 96. Her love of Jesus Christ and love of life were infectious. It is impossible to count the number of people she shared her joy and love with during her blessed time on this Earth. 

Betsy was born in Philadelphia, PA to Virginia Baker White and John Josiah White Jr., on April 29, 1927. She grew up in Atlantic City with three siblings: the elder Cindy and Kirby and her younger sister, Mary. 

Her extraordinary life took off as she spent her childhood living in the apartment of her family’s Marlborough Blenheim hotels on Boardwalk and Park Place in Atlantic City. Dancing to the string quartet, befriending the elevator operator, and walking to school along the boardwalk were fond memories of this time, along with never-ending water fun that sparked her lifelong love of sailing and swimming. While her parents were busy entertaining the hotel guests, the English nanny “Nannan” tended to Betsy and her siblings, and was a loving figure in Betsy’s memory.

During the summers of her younger years, Betsy’s grandmother TaTa (Emma Chambers White) arranged for her and her sisters to attend Ragged Mountain Summer Camp in Andover, NH. While the intention was to get the young girls out of the boisterous city during the high season, Betsy treasured her memories from camp, cherishing these memories of canoeing and diving in the lake, and performing elaborate theatricals. She would continue singing camp songs (along with a never-ending stream of songs she picked up throughout her life, prompted by seemingly any topic) throughout her years. 

After the start of WWII, Betsy’s father “Pappy” was stationed in Mississippi at Long Beach as an instructor in navigation for the army’s crash boat crews while the Atlantic City hotels were taken over by the government for use as a military cook school. Betsy went with her parents down south and completed high school in New Orleans. It was in the summer of 1945 (after Betsy’s senior year in high school) that she met her husband-to-be Sid Rigell while he was serving in the Navy. Sid and a friend dropped by the Hotel Markham pool, when he was struck by the sight of Betsy working at the hat check counter. With her blue eyes and yellow two-piece bathing suit, he was immediately smitten.  

Carrying on a family tradition, Betsy enrolled in Swarthmore College for undergraduate study. During her freshman year there, Sid courted her in a series of daily love letters, nicknaming her “Blue eyes.” Sid visited her, ring in hand, and proposed to her on the Swarthmore College campus. Sid was discharged from the Navy in February 1946, and they married on March 2, 1946, joining in the festivities of her parents’ wedding anniversary in Winter Haven, Florida.

At the start of their marriage, Betsy and Sid moved around the southeast, in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina as Sid completed seminary and began serving as a Southern Presbyterian minister. It was during this time that they had their first two sons: Craig and Kirby. 

Betsy, Sid, Craig, Kirby, and their new baby, Joe, moved to Baltimore in 1956, when Sid took on leadership of the McKim Association in inner-city Baltimore, a church, community center, and Boys Home. During this time in Baltimore, they had their fourth son, Chris, and added two others into the family: Ralph “Dusty” Miller and his nephew Brian, along with welcoming many guests into their home. 

Staying in Baltimore with conviction for continuing their ministry there, Sid and Betsy moved the church under the name of “The Little Tabernacle Church of the Savior” independent from the Presbyterian Church. Fond memories of this time include visits to the White Bight, the home that Betsy’s parents built in St. Leonard Creek, Maryland. 

Always unafraid of advocating for their beliefs and willing to travel to have an impact, Sid and Betsy visited every state capitol twice, encouraging the governors to outlaw abortion, promote Christianity in schools, and support Israel, leaving behind a copy of their book Fired and Fired Again, Praise the Lord! on the first trip and a jar of Tupelo Honey from Florida on the second. 

Sid and Betsy started leading tours to Israel and then mostly relocated to the Holy Land in 1980 becoming deeply involved with the International Christian Embassy and the messianic Jewish community. While there, they continued leading tours in Israel to share this beloved land with their Christian community back in the States. 

In 1996, Sid and Betsy celebrated their 50-year wedding anniversary with the theme of “Sweeter gets the journey every day.” Just a few months later, Sid passed away due to complications from knee replacement surgery.

Betsy took the next opportunity to move back to Israel, where she spent the majority of another 8 years living with friends and continuing to support the International Christian Embassy, until moving to Maryville in 2004 to be closer to family. She settled in quickly, finding a spiritual home at Fellowship Church Knoxville and Shomair Yisrael Messianic Synagogue and adopting a sweet maltipoo dog named Jojo. Along with spending time with family and friends, she continued to give back to the community, volunteering with Meals on Wheels weekly. Betsy enjoyed hiking in the Smokies, walking Jojo around the block, and swimming in her neighborhood pool and in local lakes. Throughout every chapter of life, Betsy made friends easily. And once you were her friend, you were her friend for life. Every place she lived, she had a vibrant community to share in worship and adventure.

Of course, these years were as marked by her dedication to her faith and love of travel as the rest of her life. She traveled almost annually for a multi-month trip to Israel to see friends and volunteer with the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem. She supported the Covenant Musical for years, eventually auditioning for a role herself. Creating a beautiful synergy of her love for music and her faith, Betsy performed the part of Naomi in Israel, the U.S., and Canada. 

The adventure didn’t stop there. Betsy continued to enjoy swimming, sailing, and traveling as often as she could. Betsy and her older sister Cindy went on a tall ship cruise to Costa Rica. Along with enjoying the sea breeze on the ship, Betsy enjoyed taking out a small sailboat (though she wasn’t immune to capsizing). She also enjoyed sailing in the Chesapeake Bay when staying at her parent’s historical home, the White Bight, and on Tennessee’s lakes. 

Betsy moved into independent living at the Shannondale Community in Maryville in 2018. Here, she stayed as active as ever, joining the Wii bowling league, shuffleboard league, and the community choir. In the final year of her life, Betsy persevered and remained upbeat despite a series of physical challenges. Her last days were spent surrounded by loved ones, song, and prayer. 

Betsy is preceded in death by her husband Joseph Sidney Rigell and informally adopted son Ralph “Dusty” Edward Miller. She is survived by her sons Craig, Kirby, Joe, Chris, and Brian Rigell, along with eleven grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. 

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 2nd at 3 pm in the Chapel at Shannondale Maryville, 804 Shannondale Way, Maryville, TN 37803. 

In lieu of flowers, if so inclined, you may send gifts in honor of Betsy to Shomair Yisrael Messianic Synagogue, Knoxville, Fellowship Church, Knoxville, or Shannondale, Maryville, TN.