Odell Franklin Rigby

1937 ~ 2018

Our beloved father, devoted grandfather, and great-grandfather, our gentle giant Odell Franklin Rigby, 81, passed away early Friday (11/2/2018) morning from complications related to a heart attack.

Odell, the son of Afton Odell and Elmer Clarke Rigby was born July 5, 1937, in Idaho Falls. In his youth, he lived in various locations including Palo Alto, California, Logan, and Salt Lake City, Utah. After graduating valedictorian from East High School in Salt Lake City he went on to study at the University of Utah. He interrupted his studies to serve as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Australia. Odell said that being an Aussie missionary was one of the best decisions he made because that is where he met his future eternal companion, Joy Webb. They married in the Logan Temple in December 1962. Odell returned to the University of Utah to pursue his medical degree, where he served as president of his senior class and graduated in 1964. Dr. Rigby went on to serve in the U.S. Army where he served at Letterman Hospital in San Francisco. He then trained and served in different areas in Germany. In 1969 he returned with his young family to SLC to complete his residency in Urology, and later was a pediatric fellow in London, England.

Dr. Rigby practiced Urology at the Salt Lake Clinic for 30 years until his retirement in 2004. He was devoted to medicine and beloved by his patients. Throughout his life Dr. Rigby served either full-time or as a reservist in the US Army, rising to the rank of Colonel. He put his medical practice on pause in 1991 when he was called up to full-time military service during the US conflict in Kuwait, known as Desert Storm. He was very proud of his service to his country. Following his retirement, he and Joy served as Medical Directors on an LDS mission to the Dominican Republic region including Haiti from 2004-2006.

He was a devoted, compassionate husband throughout his life, patiently taking care of Joy for the final 10 years of her life. Odell and Joy are the parents of six beautiful daughters. He often bragged that as a parent, "he specialized in girls." He was also a very involved grandfather of 21 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Odell loved all types of family gatherings to build unity; from sitting around the dinner table to planning trips to California, Hawaii, or the Caribbean.

Odell was preceded in death by his wife Joy Webb Rigby, his brothers Elmer C. Rigby and George Clarke Rigby,his sister Alice Rigby Dunn, and his great granddaughter Holland Hatch. Left to cherish his memory are his six daughters and their families; Elizabeth (David) Hatch, Jennifer (Randall) Cardinal, Stephanie (Richard) Eccles, Rachelle Rigby, Heather (Shane) Kester, Kimberly (Brent) Mosher, 21 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held Saturday, November 10, 2018, at 12:00 Noon in the Monument Park Stake Center (1320 Wasatch Drive, SLC). The family will meet friends at a viewing on Friday, November 9th from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Larkin Sunset Lawn (2350 E. 1300 S.) and for an hour and a half prior to services at the church.

Interment will be in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.