Noretta Stark Rivers

Funeral services celebrating the life of Mrs. Noretta Stark Rivers will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 18, 2026 at Robert Barham Family Funeral Home, with Bro. Andy Skelton officiating. Interment will follow at Graham Cemetery. The family will receive guests from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. on Friday, April 17, 2026 at the funeral home. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with the arrangements.

Mrs. Rivers, age 87, of Meridian passed away on April 13, 2026 at The Oaks Rehabilitation and Healthcare.

Noretta was born on March 7, 1939 in Muskogee, Oklahoma to the late Gilbert and Opal West Hicks. She attended Nowata High School. In 1955, she met and married Cecil Dairl Stark, and to their union, two daughters and one son were born. She was a devoted wife and mother who always put her family and their needs before her own. After Cecil passed away, she met and married Robert Rivers, and together, they spent many happy years. She loved her Lord and Savior dearly. Among her other gracious characteristics, she was faithful and longsuffering. Noretta was an outstanding cook; her family always enjoyed her many delicious meals. She loved catfishing and could not stand to be out-fished. She also enjoyed working with the Republican Committee validating voters in her community for many years.

She is survived by her husband, Robert Banks Rivers; children, Joyce Skelton (Andy), Julie Ann Stark Caraway, Candy Powell (Jason), Mandy Shay (Nathan), Leeann Armes (Joshua), and Christopher Rivers (Shania); grandchildren, Jennifer Lockhart (Lee), Todd Moseley (Karri), Joshua Collins (Audrey), Daniel Stark (Ashley), Caleb Stark (Christina), Jessica Danford, Samuel Stark, Michael Simmons (Stephanie), Sophia Odom (Sarah), Christa Beals (David), Lauren Holley (Charles), Jonathan Holley, Abby Powell, Izzy Powell, Aria Rivers, and Leighla Rivers; great-grandchildren, Lacy and Lexi Lockhart, Christopher Moseley, Allee, Kurtiss, and Church Collins, Bella Danford, Daniella Stark, Michael Joseph Simmons, Jonathan Simmons, Trinity and Logan Beals, Alyssa, Summer, Lana, and Rainy Beals, and Landry and Andrea Schippel; and numerous other family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her first husband; her son, Dairl Gilbert Stark; her sons-in-law, Albert Collins and Colen Paul Caraway; and her grandchildren, James Hunter Collins and Anna Nicole Odom.

Pallbearers will be Mrs. Rivers' grandsons, Caleb Stark, Daniel Stark, Samuel Stark, Joshua Collins, Jonathan Holley, Lee Lockhart, and Michael Simmons.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.robertbarhamffh.com.