Alberta Hope Bagby

Alberta Hope Bagby, loving mother and grandmother, passed away on Sunday, March 28, 2021, at the age of 93.

Hope was born on August 19, 1927 to Ernest and Rubie (Rinehart) Elliott. She graduated from Cairo High School in 1945. She and her former husband lived on a farm near Cairo for many years. To this union were born two daughters, Gloria (Wood) Matzen and her husband Merle, and Sylvia (Wood) Moore and her husband Carl. She was married to Ford Bagby in 1975. He preceded her in death in 1981.

Hope spent her next years working secretarial jobs. The last one before retiring was at the Randolph County Assessor’s office. Following her retirement, she moved to Eldon, MO to be closer to her family.

She was a devoted grandmother to Shane Matzen and his wife Tina of Chesterfield, MO and Tara Matzen Higgins and her husband Keith of Blue Springs, MO. She considered herself so blessed to be a great grandmother who was able to watch five great grandsons grow up. Those boys, Grant Higgins, Jack Matzen, Trent Higgins, Ross Matzen, and Matthew Higgins found the same place to go to for rest as well as a refrigerator full of ice cream treats as their parents did. Grandma Hope’s love never failed.

Hope went to every event she possibly could to be with her family. She then made herself “tech savvy’ to keep up with everyone from her home. She found adult coloring books filled her time when she wasn’t able to go places. The phone was always by her side to chat with family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents and grandparents Lester and Carrie Elliott and Benoni and Rosa Rinehart.

She is survived by her daughters, grandchildren, and great grandsons.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Cairo Christian Church.

Words of comfort and support were shared with the family at a visitation in the Cater Funeral Home Chapel followed by services honoring Hope’s life.   Committal prayer and burial took place in the Memorial Park Cemetery.