Rita J. Hartigan
July 19, 1951 — January 19, 2020
Rita Jeanne Hartigan, the daughter of Paul and Josephine (Gushard) Schaer, was born July 19, 1951. Josephine later married Lester Rosenthal, and they raised their family in Omaha, Nebraska. Rita graduated from Benson High School with the class of 1969. Rita raised 3 girls: Jennifer, JoAnn, and her grandchild, Felisha. After Felisha was born Rita, decided to move to Avoca where her sister Janet lived to be in a smaller, safer community.
Rita was a stay-at-home mom for most of her life, but she also held jobs in Avoca. She worked at Carley Drug for 8 years, was a devoted caretaker for many people, including a 15-year long care taker for the late Leora Torres who passed away in 2019. Recently, Rita was employed at Wings where she worked for 3 years. No matter where she worked she could socialize which was one of her favorite things to do. She knew everybody. If Rita went to the grocery store to get milk, you could expect her to be gone for 3 hours, and come home with only milk because she was talking with someone at the store. Rita might have been sharing Pineapple Upside Down cake recipes as that was her favorite desert. But Rita was best known for her collection of all things possible. She was an “organized hoarder”. She was a character who sometimes went by the name “Sweetie-Ritie”. She gave her family a hard time, but she loved them so very much. She adored her kids, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
On Sunday, January 19, 2020, Rita passed away at her home attaining the age of sixty-eight years and six months. She was preceded in death by her parents. Those left to cherish her memory include her daughters: Jennifer Jackson and her husband Michael of Nickerson, Nebraska; JoAnn Fuhlrodt of Fremont, Nebraska; grandchildren: Holliann, Matthew, Evan, and Taylor Jackson; Felisha Hartigan, Heaven, Star, and Mylei Fuhlrodt; great grandchildren: Lillyann Muller, Marleigh and Raya Croy, Jackson Hazelrig, Maximus Brown, and one on the way, Leilani Hazelrig; siblings: Paul Schaer and his wife Cyndi of Omaha, Nebraska; Janet Carlson of Avoca, Iowa; Carol Ann Condon and her husband Patrick of Lincoln, Nebraska; and Mark Rosenthal and his wife Angie of Omaha, Nebraska; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and numerous friends.
Rita was a stay-at-home mom for most of her life, but she also held jobs in Avoca. She worked at Carley Drug for 8 years, was a devoted caretaker for many people, including a 15-year long care taker for the late Leora Torres who passed away in 2019. Recently, Rita was employed at Wings where she worked for 3 years. No matter where she worked she could socialize which was one of her favorite things to do. She knew everybody. If Rita went to the grocery store to get milk, you could expect her to be gone for 3 hours, and come home with only milk because she was talking with someone at the store. Rita might have been sharing Pineapple Upside Down cake recipes as that was her favorite desert. But Rita was best known for her collection of all things possible. She was an “organized hoarder”. She was a character who sometimes went by the name “Sweetie-Ritie”. She gave her family a hard time, but she loved them so very much. She adored her kids, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
On Sunday, January 19, 2020, Rita passed away at her home attaining the age of sixty-eight years and six months. She was preceded in death by her parents. Those left to cherish her memory include her daughters: Jennifer Jackson and her husband Michael of Nickerson, Nebraska; JoAnn Fuhlrodt of Fremont, Nebraska; grandchildren: Holliann, Matthew, Evan, and Taylor Jackson; Felisha Hartigan, Heaven, Star, and Mylei Fuhlrodt; great grandchildren: Lillyann Muller, Marleigh and Raya Croy, Jackson Hazelrig, Maximus Brown, and one on the way, Leilani Hazelrig; siblings: Paul Schaer and his wife Cyndi of Omaha, Nebraska; Janet Carlson of Avoca, Iowa; Carol Ann Condon and her husband Patrick of Lincoln, Nebraska; and Mark Rosenthal and his wife Angie of Omaha, Nebraska; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and numerous friends.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Rita J. Hartigan, please visit our flower store.