MANTZ, Rita Marlene
MANTZ, GARWOOD, HALL, BALIUS, SWIHART, PERKINS, ROUSH, WILSON, SHIELDS, SMITH
Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 7/31/2007 at 15:14:54
"The Fairfield Ledger", Thursday, July 26, 2007, Page 5
MANTZ, Rita Marlene -- Rita Marlene MANTZ of Batavia died July 17, at University Hospital in Iowa City, Ia.
On Friday July 20 family and friends gathered for her funeral held at Raymond Funeral Home in Fairfield, Iowa.
Services were conducted by Pastor Jim Wotherspoon from the First Baptist Church in Fairfield.
Interment was delayed, her children had to return immediately after the services to their various jobs.
Rita was laid to rest Monday July 23 beside her sister Cheryl at Evergreen Cemetery in Fairfield.
A brief ceremony was held by family members to honor their sister and daughter.
Rita was born in Creston, Iowa October 21, 1946 to Charles and Clara Agnes GARWOOD.
She started her school days at Clarinda, Iowa, she and family later moved to Ira, Iowa. She attended school there and Mingo and Newton, Iowa.
After graduation she married John HALL who was in the US Army, they moved to Puerto Rico, resided there two years, then came back to New Jersey.
Three children were born to this union. They returned to Iowa, this marriage was dissolved.
Rita moved to southern Iowa to be near relatives, there she met Walter MANTZ, later she married him, they all moved to Russell, Kans.
While there she became a member of the Southern Baptist Church where she did clerical work for them and taught Bible classes. She started a Bible Study Group. She was involved in various civic activities also.
After several years her marriage to Walter ended, she returned to Iowa, residing in Batavia, then moved to Creston, Iowa. From there she moved to Fort Dodge and Burnside where she resided until coming back to live in Batavia.
Rita was a loving devoted person to all her family and friends. Whenever we had family reunions she kept track of all birthdays and our yearly Barnhart reunion.
Her talents were many, she wrote short stories, poetry and a lot of songs.
She loved table games, watched a lot of baseball, also choosing often to write "Letters to the Editor" when she noticed someone being unjustly treated.
Rita gathered her Bible Study journals together and became secretary to a group led by Pastor Roger Marlowe, the meetings were held at her brother's home in Batavia.
Rita was an avid reader and owned an enormous collection of books, she also loved trees, owls, birds and had a great collection of key chains. Books in her honor will be at Fairfield Public Library.
While dealing with her diabetes, she loved life and all it stood for, now with her mission in life is over (sic), we are putting trees in several parks to honor her memory.
Survivors are two daughters Gerri BALIUS of Deepwater, Mo. and Sherri HALL of Pomeroy, Ia. A son David Christopher HALL of Albert Lea, Min. Her mother Clara Agnes SWIHART of Batavia. Two sisters Joyce PERKINS, Fairfield, and Teena ROUSH Newton, Ia. Three brothers Larry WILSON, Batavia and Bill SHIELDS and Tony SHIELDS of Fairfield, also numerous grandchildren, and many loving nephews and nieces.
Preceding her in death, a sister Cheryl Faith SMITH and one infant brother Matthew Chrisopher SWIHART.
Copied with permission from The Fairfield Ledger, Inc.
*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.
Click here for Rita's earlier Death Notice and Obituary
Jefferson Obituaries maintained by Joey Stark.
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