"Rita's wonderful smile and care for we "teen kids" at Garrigan will never be forgotten. She always had made us feel special, and her smile warmed and melted my heart. My Mom (Frances) loved Rita's wonderful personality, I know they are sharing our eternal life in heaven. Sympathy is with all of her family. "
In loving memory of
Mary Rita Derner
September 28, 1915 - June 26, 2011
Mary 'Rita' Derner was born on September 28, 1915 to Frank & Bridget (Calligan) Sweeney in Livermore, Iowa. The fourth child in a family of six, Rita remembered playing with siblings, neighbors and friends, attending St. Peter & Paul's Elementary School and watching Father Doberstein build the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend, Iowa. She spent her freshman year of high school at West Bend Public School before joining her sister Helen at St. Angela's Academy in Carroll, Iowa. Helen and Rita lived in a dormitory while at St. Angela's working at St. Anthony's Hospital in lieu of tuition.
After graduating in 1933 Rita moved back to West Bend and worked as a telephone operator for the West Bend Telephone Company. By 1936, she had met and fallen for the love of her life, Cleophas (C.A.) Derner. Rita turned 21 on September 28, 1936, and the next day she and C.A. eloped and were married at St. John the Baptist Church in Burlington, Iowa with the groom's sister and brother-in-law as witnesses. Rita and C.A. began their married life on a farm southeast of Whittemore, Iowa, where they raised six of their seven (one stillborn son) children. The family became members of St. Michael's in Whittemore where Rita was active in Catholic Daughters of America and Rosary Society. One of Rita's memories as a young bride was finishing all her jamming and canning one fall only to later hear a large crash; all of her hard work had crashed and lay broken on the floor along with broken shelves. Fortunately, the young couple's friends and neighbors came to their rescue rebuilding the shelves and stocking them with their own stores for the winter.
However, in November of 1965, Rita was struck with a larger tragedy when her husband, C.A. suddenly died ending 29 years of companionship. After struggling with the loss and making many difficult decisions she chose to leave the family farm and moved to Algona, Iowa. She then became a member of St. Cecilia's. She enjoyed working at Bishop Garrigan High School cafeteria from 1966 thru 1975, where she stayed involved with the youth and was an avid supporter of BGHS sports, music and drama programs. In her retirement she enjoyed many years of golf, bridge games, round robin clubs and her weekly neighborhood 'coffee'. She enjoyed summer visits from her children and grandchildren from Minnesota and the West Coast. Rita also really enjoyed holidays, giving large candy bars to the neighborhood children at Halloween, decorating sugar cookies every Christmas, dyeing eggs at Easter and setting up an Easter egg hunt in her yard for her grandchildren. She traveled near and far with friends and family and even enjoyed a few winters 'down South'. In 2005, as she turned 90 she decided she could no longer trust her health to be alone in her home and chose to become a member of the Good Samaritan family in Algona, Iowa. At the Good Samaritan Center she enjoyed the love of many hearts and care of many hands, until Sunday, June 26, 2011, when she moved from those caring hands into the hands of her loving Father, joining many family members and friends in her new home for eternity.
Rita is survived by her children James Derner and his wife Karen, Sun City West, AZ; Marcella Derner, Sun City, AZ; Thomas Derner and his wife Barbara, Lincoln, CA; Joan Mueller and her husband Lowell, Algona, IA; Daughter-in-law Donna Derner, Roseville, CA; son-in-law Jerry Furman, Tracy, MN; 18 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; 2 great-great-grandchildren and her brother-in-law Al Toth, San Jose, CA.
She is preceded in death by her parents and her siblings, Donald Sweeney, Lucille Sweeney, Helen Fogarty, Gene Sweeney, Geraldine Comer, her husband Cleophas (C.A.) Derner, son, Leland 'Hank' Derner, daughter Elizabeth 'Betty' Furman, and an infant son.
Tributes
"I will always remember you teaching Derek and Me how to play golf. It was lots of fun playing cards with you."
"Rita was such a great lady and friend to my mom & family. I am sure Rita and my mother Alice are laughing & playing and cards together. They will be wonderful Angels in heaven. Our sincere condolences. "
"My family and I moved next door to Rita in the fall of 1991, and we received a grand Irish welcome to the neighborhood. She introduced me to the joy of Wednesday Coffees, swimming at Char's, and all the benefits/history of living with the wonderful people of Bell Court. We were both Irish and big fans of Garrigan, so I enjoyed front porch visits and keeping her up-to-date on news from school. I would often connect with people from Algona or Whittemore by saying, "I live next door to Rita Derner." This week I was out of town, but to all of Rita's family, I send my love and prayers. "
"It's amazing how you think you know somebody and then find out so many interesting things about them that you never guessed! Rita was a great, feisty, kind-hearted lady. My condolences to the entire family. I'll be thinking about you and saying a prayer on Thursday."
"I will always remember what a gracious lady Rita was and her generous ways. Her smile would brighten your heart."
""Auntie Rit"was and will always be very close to our hearts.She always had a big smile for all of us.She has always been in our prayers and I know we are in hers now.I love you Auntie Rit."
"Ken and I knew Rita as Joanie's Mom. What a delightful lady! With a smile on her face, she always had a fun story to tell. She had a way to make one feel special, and I think she really felt that everyone she knew was special. It was a joy to know Rita."
"I have many great memories of my life with Grandma. The one thing that matters the most to me is that my kids where able to get to know her and have the loving relationship with her that I was able to have my whole life. They love GGRita. We will miss you, but are so happy for you. You lived a Great life enjoy heaven:) "
"You will be missed. If I had to describe you in one word it would be LOVE."
"Auntie Rit was always so lively. We went to a big birthday celebration for her several years ago- maybe her 85th? She commented on how good looking my husband was. I told her I would fight her for him--I think whe could have beaten me. Love you Rita! "
"Rita was such a good friend of my Mom's and I got to visit with her when I was in Algona. She was a lovely lady"
"My family of Dean and I and our 4 kids had the pleasure of living across the street from Rita in Bell Court for 10 years. We shared lots of coffee, laughs, and golf "stories". My kids always remember how she treated them with a FULL size candy bar just for them at Halloween. She loved sitting out on her front steps and watching the kids play and had the most beautiful giggle. May she rest in Peace. Sue Lallier"
"Auntie Rit was dad's (Joe Fogarty) godmother. When we would see her Mom and Dad would tell us to say our first name and who our parents were. I would say, "Hi Auntie Rit, I am Missy and I belong to..." She would interrupt and say, "I know who you are!" It was an honor to know her, and call her family."
"Aunt Rita. A life well-lived. Family. Friends. Bread and wine. A few decks of cards. A hearty chuckle. A laugh that was almost a giggle. Faith to know she was going home To embrace, for all eternity, Love. "
"Rita was a great person. She was my Godmother and always had an open door and a welcoming smile on her face. Loved to talk and see people. She will be missed. Lots of thoughts and prayers. "
"I will miss the big smile Rita had everyday and the fine visits we had. She brightened eveyone's day. She was a very sweet woman and will be missed by wll who knew her."