Ginger Karen Wabby

Ginger “Karen” Rigsby Wabby was born in Shelbyville, TN on January 23, 1953 and went to be with our Lord Jesus on September 12, 2025. She is preceded in death by her mama, Mary Jewell Rigsby, her daddy, Jesse Clayburn Rigsby, Sr. and her nephew, Mark Rigsby. 

She is survived by her husband Walter “ Butch” Wabby, her daughters, Bettina Hamblin (David), Lindsey Campbell (Chris), granddaughters Madelyn McCann, Hadley Hamblin, Caroline Campbell, and grandson, Jude Campbell. Also survived by two loving brothers, Jesse Rigsby, “JR” (Betty) and Steve Rigsby (Cathy), nieces Cindy Henson(Jimmy), Sierra Keller (Ryan), and nephew Jesse Z. Rigsby. She also leaves behind a number of great nieces and great nephews as well as great-great nieces and great-great nephews all of whom she loved very much. 

Karen grew up in Eagleville,TN, attended MTSU and received bachelors and masters degrees in Mathematics. She was a member of the DAR. Immediately after college she worked in education in Germany at several army bases, and traveled extensively in Europe, once with Mama, Daddy and Steve for a month when they visited in 1976. This experience initiated her love of travel, which followed her throughout the rest of her life. She held various jobs throughout her life including teaching high school mathematics, car and insurance sales and her last 30 years were in technology sales, mainly with IBM. Her IBM time was when she met Butch and after a many year series of courtships and breakups, they married in 2003 at which time she not only was overjoyed at being married to the love of her life, and acquiring two loving ”bonus” daughters (who by the way, gave Butch away to Karen at the wedding), but more importantly her union with Butch also brought her into a personal relationship with Christ, for which she was forever grateful. Karen and Butch traveled to Europe many times and particularly loved sightseeing, visiting friends she’d meet in Germany, river cruising and following bicycle races like the Tour d’France and the Giro d’ Italia. Adventures there also included parasailing and white water rafting. Many friends will remember her avid love of knitting, particularly for herself (shawls) as well as charity knitting and gifting to family and friends. Many new babies at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church were wrapped in her kntted blankets and she loved seeing them. She had many knitting friend groups and relished their times together, especially their annual fall Gatlinburg knitting weekends and a very special trip to Argentina and Uruguay with her dear friend Eileen. They also travelled to many knitting conventions around the USA. As her time drew near, knitting provided a great hobby to pass time happily, especially in making baby blankets for her future grand babies and futer nieces and nephews. Karen also loved dolls and had an extensive collection of things that spoke to her - bride dolls, dolls from around the world in native costumes, and Wizard of Oz Dorothy dolls, to name a few. She was a member of the Dixie Doll-ers since 1992, a doll club based in Nashville. 

Diagnosed in 2020 with stage IV lung cancer the overseas travel was significantly impacted, although she and Butch did go on two river cruises in 2023. As heath would permit she had many “ adventure days” with a special group of friends in Franklin, taking day trips for sightseeing, shopping, lunch and usually a visit to a yarn store! 

Funeral Services will be conducted on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home. Visitation with the family will begin at 12 Noon on Tuesday. Burial will take place at a later time at Middle Tennessee State Veteran's Cemetery.

In lieu of of flowers (none can be placed at the military cemetery), donations to Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin TN, the Dixie Doll-ers (a 501c3) or the charity of your choice is appreciated. James 1:12