Shelda Lea Rigby Watts passed peacefully into the arms of her Savior early Monday morning, September 14, 2020. She had suffered with dementia for many years.

Shelda was born to Galen “Pete" and Opal Oliphant Rigby on November 28, 1935, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She was followed by sisters Gail and Hazel. The family moved to Idaho in 1948, settling in the Wrencoe Loop area. Shelda and her sisters attended school in the beloved Wrencoe one-room schoolhouse where she met Myron “Buzzy” Watts, the love of her life.

Buzz and Shelda wed on August 22, 1953, and began welcoming children in 1956, the same year they purchased property on The Loop, never wishing to leave. Shelda remained on Wrencoe Loop until her failing mind forced her placement at Valley Vista Care Center in Sandpoint. Valley Vista gently cared for Shelda until February 2020 when she went to live with her daughter in Ponderay during the COVID pandemic. While there, Shelda enjoyed the joyous sights and sounds of music, movies, singing, grandbabies, barking puppies and Wenny the Cat whom eventually slept on Shelda’s bed every day toward the end.

Shelda was a wonderful singer and musician. She played the piano and the accordion for church, dances and for pleasure at home. She enjoyed playing piano at square dances while her father played banjo, stomping his foot and them both singing to the rooftop. Shelda sometimes had the opportunity to accompany a singer on the piano and she loved it. And Shelda loved to yodel.

Shelda was active in the Laclede Community church with Women’s Bible Study, VBS, Bible Camps at Riley Creek, and as pianist just about every Sunday for many, many years. She belonged to the Wrencoe Community Ladies Club and was an active 4-H leader for the Wrencoe Wrangler 4-H Club leading both sewing and cooking projects.

Many knew Shelda as a gifted cake baker/decorator producing numerous birthday and wedding cakes over her life. She was a master candy maker – her chocolate fudge a sought after delight each Christmas. The two recipes she refused to reveal were for her homemade marshmallow crème and her venison salami. Maybe someday we will find them amid her many cookbooks and notes.

Shelda is survived by her husband of 67 years, Myron E. “Buzz” Watts of Sandpoint; children Russell (Robyn) Watts, Sandpoint, Kathy (Dan) Osborne, Ponderay, Kris (Jim) Mendenhal, Sandpoint, Mark Watts of Sandpoint, Kari Lynn Carey, Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Koni (Dwight) Kincaid of Benton City, Washington; as well as 13 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. Shelda was preceded in death by her parents and an infant sister, Joan.

A celebration of Shelda’s life will be held on Saturday October 24, 2020, 11 a.m. at Laclede Community Church, 25 N. Riley Creek Road, Laclede, Idaho. A potluck dinner will follow.