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Janisue Rigel, daughter of David J. and Margaret Louise Weir Rigel, was born in Wichita, Kansas. She has two children, Baron, 48 and Sarah, 47 and three grandchildren, Gavin, Luna and Oliver. She resides in The Woodlands, Texas, with her sister Davena Liepman. 

Janisue studied business administration at Wichita State University. She represented Continental Airlines with The National Transportation Safety Board in Washington, D.C., She is a graduate of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Carlsbad, CA. She and her sister, Davena, organized the Southwest Fine Jewelry Show in Dallas, Texas, then in Grapevine, Texas. The sisters were officers of the Lone Star GIAAA Association in Dallas, Texas. 

Memberships

  • American Rosie the Riveter Association

  • Continental Society Daughters of Indian Wars (Texas Society State Governor; State Corresponding Secretary; State Historian)

  • Daughters of the Republic of Texas (Associate Member)

  • Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War 1861-1865

  • Descendants of Colonial Mothers 1607 - July 4, 1776

  • Descendants of Early Postmasters 1607-1900

  • First Families of Ohio

  • Huguenot Society of the Founders of Manakin in the Colony of Virginia

  • National Society Children of the American Revolution

  • National Society Colonial Dames XVII Century 

  • National Society Colonial Daughters of the Seventeenth Century (Heart of Texas Chapter Organizing President)

  • National Society Daughters of the American Colonists (Texas State Society Historian) 

  • National Society Daughters of the American Revolution

  • National Society Daughters of the British Empire in the USA

  • National Society Daughters of the Union 1861-1865

  • National Society Descendants of American Farmers (Founder)

  • National Society Descendants of American Railroad Workers 

  • National Society Descendants of Early Quakers

  • National Society Dames of the Court of Honor

  • National Society of the Descendants of Textile Workers of America, Inc.

  • National Society Sons and Daughters of Antebellum Planters 1607-1861 (Historian General; Secretary General)

  • National Society Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims (South Branch Organizing Governor)  

  • National Society Southern Dames of America (Texas State President; East Texas Chapter Organizing President)

  • National Society United States Daughters of 1812 (Curator National; Texas State Society First Vice President; Texas State Curator; National Endowment Board; Wyoming Society Honorary State; Organizing President)

  • Order of the First Families of Maryland

  • Order of the Founders of North America 1492-1692

  • Order of the Steel Magnolias

  • Ohio Prairie Pioneers

  • Sons and Daughters of Kansas Pioneers

  • Sons and Daughters of the Bench and Bar 1565-1861

  • Sons and Daughters of Virginia Founding Fathers

  • Texas Genealogical College (President; Parliamentarian)

  • United Daughters of the Confederacy

Awards

  • Texas Society Sons of the American Revolution Martha Washington Award (3 x)

  • TSSAR Silver Service medal 

  • TSSAR Lady Liberty Award 

  • National Society of United States Daughters of 1812 Spirit of 1812 Award

  • The Yellow Rose of Texas award by Texas Governor Abbott

  • Texas Genealogical College – Hall of Fame Award 2019

  • National Women’s Jewelry Association – Rising Star Award

Other

Janisue’s community activities include:

Member 1945 to present, Wichita, Kansas, Unity Church, Unity of Dallas, Unity Church of the Woodlands.

American Red Cross – Disaster Certified

Co-Founder, Lone Star GIAAA, a non-profit for the Jewelry Industry. She managed financial donations in excess of $50,000 for Graduate Gemologists perpetual scholarships. She was secretary of the Southwest Women’s Jewelry Association (1999 – 2002); President Southwest Women’s Jewelry Association (2002 - 2004); Worked on the National WJA Board to increase knowledge and education of the jewelry industry. National Committee Board for investing and awarding scholarships.  

Janisue was the Executive Director of the Arkansas Jewelers Association for more than 20 years.  Janisue was the Southwest 24KT Club of Dallas executive director for more than 24 years, hosting annual formal dinners for the southwest jewelry retailers. She ran the press room during home games at the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas for three seasons. She was the executive director of TOLA (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas) gift and jewelry salesman’s organization, and during this time she was also executive secretary of TOLA Salesman’s Credit Union. She was the showroom manager at the Dallas Apparel Mart for Jaymac, a handbag wholesale showroom. This took her to New York four times a year for gift and jewelry shows.    

Janisue was awarded the Texas Genealogical College Hall of Fame award in 2019. Janisue was a member of Job’s daughters and then North Star Chapter Wichita, Kansas, Eastern Star. Her parents were both members of Eastern Star. Her father, David, was a member of Blue Lodge and was a 32nd degree mason and active in both Masonry and Shriners. Her mother, Margaret was the wardrobe-seamstress for Wichita Masonic Consistory lodge for more than 25 years. She meticulously replicated and repaired the robes and made the hats. Her work was acknowledged in The Wichita Eagle newspaper. Both parents traveled to Washington, D.C., where Margaret was honored for her talents at the Washington Masonic Lodge.

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