Lavar Noel Rigby

Lavar Noel Rigby, 87, passed away peacefully at his home on January 14, 2026 in St. George, Utah. He was born April 19, 1938 in Brigham City, Utah to Rowland Lavar and Mary Noel Rigby. Lavar is the fourth of six children: Donna Rae Askin (deceased), Julia Braithwaite (Tucson, AZ), Maurine Roberts (deceased), Charles (Cave Junction, OR), and Marietta Rigby (St. George, UT).

Lavar grew up in Brigham City, Utah. The family was very conservative and never wasted anything, especially food. He remembers they ate from their fruit trees and garden and things that his Mom canned. The basement was filled with canned fruit and vegetables. Lavar learned the value of hard work and milked two cows morning and evening. In the evenings they would have homemade bread and milk, and sometimes his Mom would put applesauce with a little cinnamon on top and call it applesauce delight for a special treat.

Lavar loved playing outside with his friends, and sometimes would just roam the countryside. Sometimes he would take his favorite horse Jumper and ride all over the mountains to find wonderful hidden things like waterfalls, deer, jackrabbits, rattlesnakes, and pheasants. Lavar loved to be in nature and loved to explore. Growing up he had plenty of work to do on the farm. In the summer he picked fruit (cherries, plums, apricots, and peaches), hauled hay, milked cows, and took the cows to the pasture.

Lavar liked going to school and learning everything. Science, math, geography and history were his favorite subjects. Lavar liked to read as a child, especially in the winters, and continued to enjoy reading throughout his life. In high school Lavar played baseball, ran track, wrestled, but his favorite sport was playing football.

Lavar was always one to make plans for the future. He would think about what to major in while attending college, about going on a mission, and about getting married. The first time he saw Lynette was when he was at church sitting on the stand ready to give his mission homecoming speech from the Great Lakes Mission. During the talk he thought about how he could get to know her. After church Lavar asked Lynette if she was staying for choir? Suddenly she was! The following week Lavar asked Lynette to go to a fireside and afterwards she cut his hair. Lynette has been cutting his hair ever since. They went to the beach and church activities a lot that summer to get to know one another.

Lavar and Lynette both enrolled at Long Beach State College. It was a large university and the campus was spread out, but they found a small tree near the path they both passed in between classes where they left little messages and love notes to each other. Lavar married Lynette in the Los Angeles Temple on June 10, 1961.

Lavar taught Math for three years at Los Angeles Harbor College and most of his teaching career was at Ventura College in Ventura, California. They began their young family in Long Beach and Torrance, CA, but soon moved to Ventura, and later to Ojai, California. He enjoyed working in his garden, tending the chickens, walking on the beach, swimming, traveling, watching BYU football, serving others, and taking care of his family.

Lavar grew up in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was an active member. He served faithfully in many callings. He and his wife served a senior mission to the Washington D.C Temple Visitors’ Center.

Lavar is survived by his wife Rose Lynette Rigby, his six children, and a large posterity: Rachelle and Sterling Farr (McMinnville, OR), Kyle and Cathie Rigby (Newport, OR), Ryan and Julie Rigby (Salem, UT), Shauna and Jeff Cardon (Denton, TX), Jana and Dave Lunt (Cedar City, UT), and Dallan and Tiffany Rigby (Atascadero, CA).

Lavar Rigby was very proud of all of his children and grandchildren. He enjoyed visiting with all of his family and seeing how each was growing and developing. When he could, he liked playing with grandkids on the floor, like he did with his own children. His wish for each of us is to be happy and enjoy our time here on earth and take full advantage of all the opportunities we have. Lavar loved his family very much, and he will be dearly missed.

Funeral services will be held on January 24, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building on 82 N Dixie Dr. St. George, UT 84770. There will not be a viewing.

Interment will be in the Salem City Cemetery, Salem, Utah 84653.