Rita Esther (Ritger) Farris
Rita Esther (Ritger) Farris, of Monroe, Wisconsin, passed away on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, at St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, after a short but heroic battle with cancer.
Rita was born June 25, 1940, to Walter P. and Matilda G. (Berres) Ritger. She grew up on a small 60-acre farm near Nabob, Wisconsin, several miles west of West Bend. She was the oldest of eight children and spent her childhood in Nabob, attending grade school in a one-room schoolhouse at St. Mathias. Rita always had a deep appreciation of music and said, “Music ran my life and brought tears to my eyes.” Her family made music lessons possible by using money they earned raising cash crops like cucumbers, strawberries, and other garden products. She began piano lessons at age six and continued through high school.
Rita attended Slinger High School and graduated as the class valedictorian. She continued her education at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and earned her degree in business with a minor in music.
After graduating from college, she taught in Fennimore, Wisconsin, Sabula, Iowa, Juda, Wisconsin and Monroe, Wisconsin. Rita was the senior class advisor for the Juda High School Class of 1967 and served as a chaperone on their senior trip to New Orleans when a plane tragically crashed into their hotel, taking the lives of nine Juda High School girls. A scholarship fund for the Class of 1967 was developed with Rita as the representative.
Rita married her husband Tommy in 1965 after being pen pals for three years. Tommy proposed to Rita after only their fourth date.
Rita and Tommy started having children in 1968, and by 1983, their family grew to eight children. She began piano lessons for the children as they each reached the age of four. Rita’s piano lessons expanded beyond her own children to welcome students outside the family. The exact number of students who have graced Rita’s piano bench is difficult to calculate, but she regularly carried 70 to 100 aspiring musicians at a time for half a century. Music and education were so deeply ingrained in her that she continued giving piano lessons for her students until less than one month ago. Rita had a special bond with each of her students, and that connection also extended to each of their families.
Rita’s life was filled with meaning and purpose by combining her passion for music, love for education, and her desire to stay busy and volunteer. Rita was a devout Catholic her entire life, and was a proud member of St. Victor’s Catholic Church in Monroe. She was a Charter Member of the local Catholic Daughters of the Americas, serving as the Treasurer for four years and Recording Secretary for four years. She was also a member of the Green County Piano Teachers Group. For exercise, she delivered newspapers for the Wisconsin State Journal and Monroe Evening Times for twenty-five years (continuing the paper routes that her children started when they were growing up). Rita organized the Monroe School Supply Drives and founded Monroe’s City-Wide Garage Sales. She was the Primary Coordinator for the Funeral Luncheons at St. Victor’s Catholic Church in Monroe and oversaw the Religious Articles sales for the parish. Rita taught business classes and piano lessons for over 60 years and was awarded the Crystal Apple Award in Spring 2023 for her lifetime teaching achievements in making a positive impact on the lives of her students.
Rita was quoted once as saying, “There’s so many interesting things to do, the days just aren’t long enough. I love to be busy. It makes you get more done.”
Rita is survived by her husband Tommy, her children Richard (Karen) Farris, Christopher (Lori) Farris, Jenifer (Travis) Gille, Adrian (Heather) Farris, Rachel Farris Bruns, Gerard (Amanda) Farris, Jonathan (Tina) Farris, twenty-three grandchildren (who affectionately knew Rita as “Mums”) Nicholas, Collin, Samuel, Ashton, Ryanne, Allie, Chayse, Matthew, Anna, Sara, Megan, Cole (Scotti), Dayne, Ella, Isaac, Calvin, Ava, Zander, Karina, Oliver, Landon, Camden, Isobel, one great grandchild Nevaeh, and one great grandchild on the way and due in April, Vivian. Rita is also survived by siblings, Barbara (Jim) Panzer, Joan (Jon) Deluney, Lucy Noegel, Ann (Jeff) Corenblum, Rudy Ritger, Alice (Butch) Bourget, and many nieces and nephews throughout the United States.
Rita was preceded in death by her son Nathan, parents Walter P. and Matilda G. (Berres) Ritger, mother and father-in-law Kyle and Genevieve (Brainerd) Farris, brother-in-law Jimmy Farris, and sister Marie Luce.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, February 3, 2024, at 12:00 p.m., at St. Clare of Assisi Parish at St. Victor Catholic Church with Father Tafadzwa Kushamba officiating. A luncheon will immediately follow the mass in the St. Victor School gymnasium. A rosary service will begin at 8:15 a.m. with visitation to precede the mass from 9:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Private family burial will be in Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund will be established in Rita’s name with donations to be determined by her family at a later date. To view a livestream of Rita’s mass go to www.stclaregreencounty.org
The Newcomer Funeral Home, Monroe, is assisting the family. Condolences may be shared at www.newcomerfuneralhome.net
