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Bena Ion Rigg died peacefully, with her daughters by her side, on Sunday morning, December 30, 2007. She celebrated her 96th birthday just one week prior to her death. Ion was born in Atoka, Oklahoma on December 23, 1911, to Haywood and Pearl Bass.
Her first husband, Dallas Denver Hays, and her son, Joe Dallas, preceded Ion in death.Ion was also preceded in death by her siblings, James O. 'Pete' Bass, Otis Bass, Pearl Agnes Stevens, and her 'golden age' husband, Vernon Rigg.
She is survived by four daughters: Lenora Hays Nelson Vannoy of Nicoma Park, Oklahoma, Levonne Ion Hays Higdon of Jones, Oklahoma, Mary Ruth Hays Johnson (Mickey) of Corpus Christi, Texas and Tomye Ann Mainer (Jim) of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma; nine grandchildren: Jerry Nelson (Rosie), Linda Kathryn Sadler, James Nelson (Linda), Martin Harold Higdon, Jr., Joe Dallas Higdon, Pamela Lynn Janca (Jeff), Alan David Johnson, Brian Lee Johnson (Susan), Valerie Mainer Wagner (Larry). She is also survived by 20 great-grandchildren, 17 great-great-grandchildren, many nieces, nephews and friends.
Ion spent her early years in Roff, Oklahoma and Crowell, Texas before moving to Oklahoma City. She was a civil service employee at Tinker Air Force Base from 1942 to 1960. Ion also lived on an acreage northwest of Jones and a farm north of Prague. She was a member of Witcher Baptist Church, Jones OES, Jones Rebekahs, World War I and II Ladies Auxiliary and NARFE. Ion served in several elected or appointed positions in each of these organizations. Ion was a Critical Parts Tracer at Tinker AFB. She was influential in acquiring many of the parts needed to repair the now historical Inola Gay, which is on display for public viewing on Tinker Air Force Base. While employed at Tinker AFB, she slipped on ice while waiting for transportation to obtain aircraft parts needed to repair airplanes. That injury resulted in her early retirement. Ion served as an elected or appointed officer in every organization she joined. When she was a member of the First Baptist Church of Jones, Oklahoma, she taught a class of Young Married Adults. When she moved to Prague, she taught children in a local Methodist Church. As a member of WWI and WWII Ladies Auxiliary, she served as their presiding officer, secretary and treasurer. She managed to arrange bus tours for WWI and WWII organizations so they could enjoy a trip to various conventions.
In the early 1950's, Dallas and Ion bought a farm north of Prague and built a new home. They continued driving to and from Tinker AFB until they retired. Several months after Dallas passed away, Ion decided it was too hard for her to take care of her farm alone so she sold her farm and bought a house in Midwest City. A few years later, she met and married Vernon Rigg.
Memorial services for Ion were held at Barnes and Johnson Funeral Home on Friday, January 4, 2008. She was buried beside her husband, Dallas, in the Prague Cemetery. Ion also has a son-in-law, Gerald Nelson, a grandson-in-law, Bobby Wayne Hickman, buried in the Prague Cemetery.
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