Lester Earl Rigdon

Dateline: Monroe, NC Reverend Lester Earl Rigdon (retired) went on to be with the Lord Jesus Christ on April 22, 2011 at 11:30 p.m. at CMC-Union, Monroe, NC. Lester was born on June 28, 1927 in Marion, Ohio. At age 16, he earned his pilot’s license and was, at that time, the youngest pilot in the state of Ohio. After High School, he joined the U.S. Air Force and went on to be a crew chief on America’s first jet fighter aircraft, the F-80 “Shooting Star”. He also worked with the U.S. Air Force’s “Acrojets” which were the forerunners of today’s Thunderbirds demonstration team. Lester left the Air Force in 1948, and in 1950 married the love of his life, Martha Louise Rice of New Washington, Ohio. He used to say that their first date was when he took her up in his airplane and “she has been flying high ever since”. Lester worked at Polock Steel and Tappen Stove Company in the 1950’s. In 1957, Lester and Martha Rigdon made the most important decision of their lives. With encouragement from Reverend William E. Allan of the Mansfield, Ohio First Alliance Church, they repented of their sins and gave their hearts and lives to Jesus Christ. Lester and Martha Rigdon knew the Lord as their Savior, Sanctifier, Healer and Coming King. After being a barber for several years, the Lord called Lester and his family into the ministry. He graduated from Nyack College (NY) in 1965. Lester went on to pastor churches in Westfield, Massachusetts; Bucyrus, Ohio; Kent, Ohio; Turnersville, NJ; and Shelby, Ohio. In 1985, he took an early retirement due to medical reasons. In 1998, Lester and Martha, and later son, Roy, moved to North Carolina. Lester is survived by his wife, Martha; son, Lester LeRoy “Roy”; son, Steven; brother, Hubert of Galion, Ohio; sister, Nona of London, Ohio; sister, Rilla of Caledonia, Ohio and several nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 2:00 p.m. in Gordon Funeral Chapel, 1904 Lancaster Avenue, Monroe, NC 28112, with burial to follow in Monroe City Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 1:15-2:00 p.m. prior to the funeral. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Local Government Federal Credit Union, 1790 Dickerson Blvd., Monroe, NC 28110 for a trust for Mrs. Martha L. Rigdon. Online condolences may be made at www.gordonfuneralservice.com Gordon Funeral Service Crematory is caring for the Rigdon family. Published online on April 27, 2011 courtesy of Gordon Funeral Service, Inc. .