Karen Riggs

Karen Alicia Riggs, who spent the last decade as a devoted wife and mother and more than two decades in X-ray/Mammography, died at Baylor Medical Center on December 26, 2014. She was 43 years old.

Her death, at 1:52 A.M., was attributed to complications from cancer. She had undergone surgery at Baylor Plano on October 7th of this year to repair hernias associated to chemotherapy and her three previous surgeries from 2013. It was her fourth surgery. After the operation, she never fully healed, and the complications from her disease simply became too great.

Karen was diagnosed with Appendiceal Mucinous Adenocarcinoma in February of 2013 after feeling symptoms of appendicitis. Three surgeries followed over the next 9 months, including ongoing chemotherapy prior to the 2014 procedure.

Since her diagnosis, Karen worked hard at making happy memories. She attended numerous plays with her husband Ryan and daughter Katie, led a trip to Walt Disney World with more than a dozen family members in tow, returned to Disney a year later simply to spend time with her husband and daughter alone in a place they loved, and so much more.

Just before her last surgery, Mrs. Riggs visited New York City with Ryan, Katie, and Derryl Martindale, her father. It was the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition and something she was proud to be able to share with the people she loved most.

A memorial service at Custer Road United Methodist Church will be held on Wednesday, December 31, 2014 at noon.

Mrs. Riggs is survived by her husband, Ryan and daughter Katherine of Plano, Texas; parents Patricia and Derryl Martindale of Allen, Texas; and grandfather, Warren Martindale of Texarkana, Arkansas.