Rita Smith (1932-2020)

SMITH, ORTMANN

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 12/23/2020 at 14:11:12

Rita Smith, 88, of Lisbon, passed away Thursday, December 17, 2020, at home. Mass of Christian Burial: 11 a.m. Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Mount Vernon, by Reverend Andrew Awotwe-Mensah. Visitation: 9-11 a.m. Tuesday at the church. Burial: Lisbon Cemetery. Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Mount Vernon, is caring for Rita and her family.

Everyone attending is required to wear a facemask and maintain social distancing. A livestream of the funeral service will be available for those not attending in person. Please find the livestream link on Rita’s tribute wall and share your support and memories with her family at www.stewartbaxter.com under obituaries.

Survivors include her children, Tom (Michelle), Dave, Nancy (Randy) Williams, Jeff (Wendi) and Joe (Kim); daughter-in-law, Karla; grandchildren, Justin (Brandi), Lynnsey (Wayne), Josh (Amy), Eric (Brittany), Ashley, Chelsea, Chelsea Kay (Cody), Austin (Jamie), Colton, Dylan (Tonya), Kaitlyn (Joe), Lauryn, and Peyton; 21 great-grandchildren; siblings, Betty O’Toole, Paul Ortmann, Jerry Ortmann, John “Jack” Ortmann; many nieces, nephews, and extended family members; adoptive neighbor family Jessie and Nate , Brant, Natalie, and Heidi Von Behrens; and her beloved card playing friends.

Rita Mary Ortmann was born July 13, 1932, in Remsen, Iowa, to John and Eleanor (Bohnenkamp) Ortmann. She graduated from St. Mary's High School in 1950, and married Donald Smith on November 10, 1953, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen. After moving to the Lisbon area in 1954, the couple raised their six children, supporting them throughout their schooling, earning Rita multiple repeat diplomas. She worked in food service at Cornell for over 30 years, retiring in 2006. She was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church for 66 years. Rita enjoyed volunteering to deliver meals, drive folks to their appointments, assist at the community center, and any other way she could help. She was a past board member at Meyers Meadow where she called BINGO and hosted coffee chats. Her potato salad was world class, and she was the Euchre Queen of Lisbon.

Rita had the warmest heart and brightest smile who only saw the good in people and shared her giving and compassionate personality with all who knew and loved her. She will be dearly missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Donald; son, John; and siblings, Mary Jane Delperdang, Roman “Stoop” Ortmann, Dick Ortmann, and Bob Ortmann.

Memorials may be directed to a charity of your choice in Rita’s name.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rita Smith please visit our Tribute Store.
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