Teresa J. (Leathers) Riggs, age 57, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on April 8th, 2019 in Ontario, Oregon after a courageous, long battle with dementia. Services will be on Saturday, April 13th at 11:00am, West Valley Church, 100 E. 1st St. Fruitland, Idaho 83619 (Corner of 1st St. and Pennsylvania Ave.), burial will immediately follow at Park View Cemetery, New Plymouth. Condolences can be made to Teresa’s family at www.shaffer-jensenchapel.com. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, Fruitland. To honor Teresa’s memory, memorials can be made to Horizon Hospice or Ashely Manor – Alameda, in care of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, PO Box 730, Payette, Idaho 83661.
Teresa was born in Baker City, Oregon on June 15th 1961 to Kenneth and Virginia Leathers. Teresa completed their family of four along with her older brother Kevin. They lived in Baker City until Teresa was two years old. At that time the family relocated to Ontario where Teresa was raised and graduated high school. Teresa loved rodeo and she was one of the only lady bull riders in her younger years. All through high school you could find Teresa at rodeos doing what she loved. In fact, Teresa’s dad bought her an El Toro mechanical bull to practice riding and all of her local rodeo buddies would come over and practice with her. Teresa could always be found running around in her 1964 red and white Ford pickup. Teresa met Bobby Riggs (wearing his signature orange cowboy hat) at an all girls rodeo in the summer of 1978 and eventually fell for each other.
Teresa went on to marry her first husband Allen Blevins and shortly after had a daughter, Mandy, together. They later divorced. Teresa met Dennis Winters whom she moved to Irrigon, Oregon with and began the next chapter of her life. Together they had a daughter, Sarah, and they were together until 1993.
The following two years were a struggle as a single mother, but Teresa taught her girls the value of hard work and began sharing her love of rodeo with them. Teresa and her girls spent most of their time at Umatilla Sage Riders barrel racing, as well as travelling to small hometown rodeos.
In 1995 Teresa was reunited with the love of her life, Bobby Riggs. Teresa and Bobby were married on July 27th, 1996….the hottest day of the entire year! Teresa and Bobby lived in Fruitland and raised their girls (Mandy, Sarah, and Lariann) to have the same love for animals that they had growing up.
Teresa loved to go hunting and camping with family and friends, she loved working in the yard, and she absolutely loved country music. Teresa was Bobby’s biggest cheer leader and number one fan when he decided he wanted to start racing at Meridian Speedway. Whether it was rodeo, farming, or racing, Teresa worked side by side with Bobby and supported him in all of his endeavors.
Teresa had four grandchildren and four step grandchildren, whom she loved very much. Her grandchildren were the light of her life and she loved spending as much time with them as possible.
Teresa is preceded in death by her grandparents. She is survived by the love of her life Bobby Riggs, parents Kenneth and Virginia Leathers, and her daughters Mandy (Jeff) – children Bailey and Alexis Pascale, Sarah (Brandon) – children Austyn and Dane Deardorff, Step-daughter Lariann (Nathan) – children Sitka, Jaxon, Daniel and Gianna Channer.
