BARBARA “BOBBI” LOUISE RIDDLE
Barbara “Bobbi” Louise Riddle, age 96, passed away peacefully June 25, 2026, at Sullivan County Memorial Hospital with her family by her side.
Barbara was born November 16, 1929, in Chicago, Illinois to Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Bradshaw. She enjoyed her childhood living in Milan with her mother, Thelma Chloe (Lee), and siblings, Billie Mae, Johnny, Jimmy, and Jackie. All of whom preceded her in death.
It was in Milan at the age of 16 that Barbara first met Paul Riddle, who at the time had borrowed his brother Wayne’s convertible, to cruise around the town square. They “cruised” right into marriage on August 28, 1946, and together, raised a family, built a home, and worked a farm near Winigan, Missouri for 65 years until Paul’s passing. Barbara continued to live right there, caring for her daughter, Linda, until Barbara’s recent admission to the hospital.
Barbara was a dedicated, sweet, thoughtful, traditional, Christian farmer’s wife. As Paul loved her and the land and farming, she loved him, her home, and caring for their children: Linda Riddle, Deborah (late Tom) Neel, David (Laura) Riddle, and later grandchildren, Candice (Brad) Schwarz, Jeremy (fiancée Ashley Walz) Riddle, Stephanie (Robert) Bowers, Matthew (Lexi) Riddle, and Michael (fiancée Jolee Clement) Riddle, Jared Neel, Rebecca Neel, twelve great-grandchildren, and eleven great-great-grandchildren. All of whom survive her and enjoy her legacy of love, sacrifice, faith, strength, and humor.
As the farmer’s wife, Barbara delighted in Sunday dinner, cooking with “butter and sugar,” and gathering around the formal dining table with her growing family. The yummy perfect meal began with a prayer and was served with love, grace, and laughter, as Paul enjoyed teasing and joking with her and all his children, and being gently reprimanded with a smile from Barbara, saying “Oh, now, Paul.” The meal then always ended with a sweet treat, usually “the best ever” pie—cherry, peach, apple, coconut cream, pecan, blackberry, pumpkin, etc. Everyone had an absolute favorite, which she enjoyed preparing “just for him/her.” Barbara in her humility, “touted that her pies may not be quite as good as her best friend and sister-in-law, Edith’s, pies.” With Edith and Wayne, the Riddles enjoyed weekly get-togethers, with food, of course, shared recipes, friendship, and music, while the cousins, Alice, Cindy, and Becky played and grew up together with Linda, Debbie, and David. Great food and family were central to Barbara’s life, one of servitude, always welcoming everyone with a smile and an insistent offering of sweet tea, cookies, candy, nuts, or her favorite drink, Pepsi.
Barbara also enjoyed the beauty and whimsy of life. She loved flowers, children’s innocence and curiosity, and angels. She worked for many years as a florist, like her mother before her. She adorned her home inside and out with flowers and arranged beautiful bouquets for family and friends. She, too, enjoyed sharing her creativity and indulging her grandchildren’s innocence. Together, they spent hours baking, coloring, playing cards, building tree houses right in her front yard, discovering kittens and wayward frogs, toads, or turtles, and making homes for them. An “angel on earth,” she decorated her home with angels, inside and out. Some of her last words were regarding angels looking over her children and grandchildren and seeing “angels all around.”
“Her children arise and call her blessed… Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise.” Proverbs:28,31
Barbara will be dearly missed and fondly remembered as a beautiful lady, sharing a lifetime of love, faithfulness, and sweet memories with all of her family.
A private graveside service was held at Price Cemetery, Winigan, Missouri under the direction of Ruschmeier- Smith Funeral Home in Green City, Missouri
The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Price Cemetery or Winigan Christian Church.
