Mrs. Rita Burgess Childress, 91 of North Wilkesboro, passed away Friday, May 8, 2026, at her home.

Funeral services will be held 1:30 PM Monday, May 11, 2026, at Reins-Sturdivant Chapel with Rev. Randall Millsaps officiating.  Burial will follow in the Gordon Baptist Church Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 12:00 until 1:00 PM prior to the service at Reins-Sturdivant Funeral Home.

Mrs. Childress was born July 24, 1934, in Wilkes County to Percy Estel and Sally Susan Miller Burgess.  She retired from Holly Farms and cared for her parents until they passed away.  She owned The Craft Nook craft store and had interest in different crafts such as cross-stitching, baking, making ornaments and jewelry with beads, and collecting dolls and bears. At Christmas she would build a village of 200+ houses and people would come to view them.  The Wilkes Journal Patriot even published a story about Rita’s Christmas Village. Of her accomplishments, she cherished her family most.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Coy William “Bill” Childress; daughter, Mickey Lynn Adams; and son-in-law, Junior Church.

Mrs. Childress is survived by daughters, Diane Church of North Wilkesboro and Stephanie Childress Rigby and husband Ryan of Wilkesboro; son-in-law, Tony Adams of Millers Creek; grandchildren, Tina Roten, Derry Miller, Megan Gambill, Brandon Church,  Kelly Nichols, Brittany Jennings, Cory Rigby, and Aaron Rigby; great-grandchildren, Kayla Clark, Olivia Meyerhoffer, Tyler Gambill, Landon Gambill, Jona Nichols, Cassie Gambill, Caleb Nichols, Kaylee Jennings, Brooklynn Church, Kinsley Odom, Silas Rigby, and Christopher Rigby due in July 2026.

Flowers will be accepted, or memorials may be made to Gentiva Hospice, 126 Executive Drive, Suite 110, Wilkesboro, NC 28697.

Online condolences may be made to www.reinssturdivant.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rita Joan (Burgess) Childress, please visit our floral store.