Rita Elizabeth Banowetz

Rita Elizabeth Banowetz, age 91, of Maquoketa, Iowa, formerly of Sugar Creek, Iowa, died Friday, July 17, 2009, at the Maquoketa Care Center in Maquoketa. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, July 20, 2009, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church Sugar Creek. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Sugar Creek Cemetery, rural Preston, Iowa. Visitation will be held from 3 – 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 19, at the Miller – Law – Jones Funeral Home in Preston, with a rosary service at 7:00 p.m., and for one hour prior to the service on Monday at church. Memorials may be directed to the family. Rita was born October 3, 1917, in rural Preston, Iowa, the daughter of Louis and Anna (Teshak) Boehmer. She attended Sugar Creek School. Rita married Walter Joseph Banowetz on September 23, 1941, at Sugar Creek. He preceded her in death on September 13, 1964.Rita was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Maquoketa, where she belonged to the St. Bernadette Circle. She enjoyed music and dancing. Rita is survived by five daughters, Bernice (Kenny) Poll of Spragueville, Iowa, Rosina (John) Gerardy of Eldridge, Iowa, Priscilla (Delbert) Roling of Lost Nation, Iowa, Geradette (Tim) Clark of Eldridge, and Gloria (Bruce) Manning of Maquoketa; three sons, Gerard (Darla) Banowetz of Charlotte, Iowa, Vincent Banowetz DeWitt, Iowa, and Virtus (Amy) Banowetz of LaSalle, Colorado; two sisters, Dolores (Boehmer) Banowetz of Maquoketa, and Marie Boehmer of Dubuque, Iowa; 36 grandchildren, and 60 great – grandchildren, and five great - great.Rita was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Walter Banowetz; two daughters, Darlene and Irene Banowetz; two sons, John and Ambrose Banowetz; and two great – grandsons, Zachary Poll and Christopher JR Banowetz.