OBITUARY FROM BURNS FUNERAL HOME WEBSITE:
Wava Marie Riddle, age 82, of Hobart, Indiana, passed away on Saturday, August 8, 2026, in Crown Point, Indiana. She was born on March 19, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia to Walter and Frances Voigt.
Wava is survived by her sister, Alma; her sons, Jared (Mitch Frey) Riddle of Hobart, Walter Riddle of Gary, and James (Becky) Riddle of Hobart; her daughters, Valerie (Rafael Pacheco) Riddle of North Judson, Lila (Scott) Slys of Portage, and Deirdre Riddle of Hobart, niece, Krystal Vinroe, along with many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, including Rhett (Vanessa), Daeges, Dakotta, Morgan, Jaylyn, Logan, Kadence, and Elijah.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald E. Riddle; her daughter, Wava "Jay"; her son, Gavin; and her parents, Walter and Frances Voigt.
Wava graduated from Hobart High School in Hobart, Indiana and Indiana University Northwest in Gary, Indiana. She worked for Gary Public Schools in special education for over 20 years. She also worked at Strack and Van Til grocery in Merrillville, and as a crossing guard in Riverton, Utah.
Wava married Gerald “Gerry” E. Riddle on March 20, 1965, in Gary, Indiana. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake City Temple. Their journey to the gospel began with a simple conversation early in their marriage, when they wondered aloud what it might be like to meet God. Gerry said he’d want to sit Him down with questions. Wava said she would simply listen, and trust that she would understand. Years later, when missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints came to their door, they recognized their own words playing out before them — and it became the story they loved to tell of how their faith began.
Wava loved to volunteer as an ancestry specialist and served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in that capacity. Whether it was Gerry coaching athletics or Wava guiding young women through Relief Society, the two of them found a shared sense of connection in mentoring and serving others.
With her loving husband, Gerry (Gerald), they traveled to over 35 states, as well as the Bahamas, Japan, and Canada in their 54 years of marriage. At home, they loved settling in together over television shows like NCIS, MASH, Murder She Wrote, 7th Heaven, Hawaii Five-O, and Elvis movies. She was a very loving wife that always put her family first. Wava Riddle fought breast cancer to share many years with her family after diagnosis.
Wava was a woman of profound faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ and loved exemplifying her faith by serving others.
Mom, you listened your whole life, and you understood more than you ever let on. We are grateful you taught us grace instead of resentment, and faith instead of fear. We know you have heard the Lord say, “Well Done Thou Good and Faithful Servant” — and that you and Dad are together again, still asking your questions, still listening for the answers.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday August 14, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 300 W Wirth Rd, Griffith, IN. The family will greet guests at 6 p.m. Burns Funeral Home & Crematory entrusted with arrangements. Please visit Wava’s online obituary and guestbook at www.burnsfuneral.com.
This information and the picture below were obtained from: https://www.burnsfuneral.com/obituaries/wava-riddle/#!/Obituary. The picture above was obtained from the 1962 HHS Memories yearbook, made available by the Lake County Public Library, at: https://archive.org/details/HOHS1962Images/.
