Janice “Jan” Riggs Bibb was born Dec 18, 1943, to Howard and Francis (Sell) Riggs in Beaver, OK. Grandparents were Mr. and Mrs. RL Riggs of Forgan, OK, and Mr. and Mrs. Julius Sell of Booker, TX. Jan was the oldest of four children.
Jan grew up on the family farm in Beaver County, OK. She attended Balko Public Schools, graduating in 1961. While attending school, she was active in a number of activities. She played clarinet in the band for eight years, was a member of the mixed chorus, girl’s glee club, and sang in a girl’s trio. She was also a member of Future Home Makers of America, the Bible Club, and the girls’ basketball team.
In addition to being active in school activities, she was an active member of her local church, Sunday school, and youth group. As a young person, she felt God calling her to special service in her life. After graduation from high school, Jan attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK. At OSU she continued to be active in the local church, teaching Sunday school, singing in the choir, and playing piano and organ for church. She was an active member in the Baptist Student Union and on the University Religious Council. It was while at OSU that Jan felt she was called to be a preacher’s wife.
Jan graduated from OSU in 1965 with a BS in accounting. The summer following graduation, she went to Daytona Beach, FL, as a student summer missionary, serving churches there as a Bible School specialist and camp counselor. She met Rev. W.F. “Bill” Bibb, a local pastor there in Daytona Beach. They worked together there in various churches during the summer, fell in love, and married Dec. 30, 1965.
There is a story about their courtship and marriage that the family loved to tell. While serving that summer, Jan spent some of her time staying in the home of Bill’s grandparents. It seems that he had reached the age that the family felt it was time for him to find a wife. His grandparents decided Jan would be a good match for him. They were not too subtle in letting him know how they felt. They finally informed him that if he didn’t marry her, they were going to drown him and adopt her. Jan always maintained she was tricked into marriage, but their marriage lasted 56 years.
After Bill and Jan were married, Bill finished his seminary training and the couple spent their lives devoted to the gospel ministry. They served churches in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Nebraska. In these churches, Jan continued to serve as a choir member, pianist, organist, Sunday school teacher, and any other place she was needed. In addition to her responsibilities as the preacher’s wife, Jan held several jobs outside the home to help supplement their income. She worked as an accountant for Shell Oil Company, and as a bookkeeper for a carpet business, a garden center, Jimmy Swaggart Bible College, and an automotive company.
Jan also taught piano lessons for many years and had a day care in her home.
Bill and Jan were blessed with two adopted children: Scott and Summer. They were the delight of her life. When they were grown, they blessed her with five grandchildren whom she helped care for as they grew up.
Jan is survived by her children, Scott (Melody), of Gering, NE, and Summer (Stephanie) Bianco of Scottsbluff, NE; Grandchildren, Zac (Kerissa) Bibb, Megan Bianco, Mckeigh (Dan) Bianco-Olmstead, Madi Bibb of Gering, NE, and Nic Bibb of Odessa, FL. She is also survived by 4 great-grandchildren; her brothers, Jerry (Cindy), Riggs of San Antonio, TX, Jim (Billie) of Booker, TX, Doug Riggs of Burleson, TX, and Robert Bibb of Gering, NE.
She is preceded in death by her parents and grandparents, as well as her loving husband, Bill.
A visitation will be at Dugan Kramer Funeral Chapel on Monday, December 5 from 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. with funeral services on Tuesday, December 6, at 10:00 a.m. at The Rock Church with Pastor Tyson Lambertson officiating. Burial will be at West Lawn Cemetery. Memorials may be given to KCMI Library, and online condolences for the family may be left at www.dugankramer.com
