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Rita Burbach
1915 - 2009
Rita Burbach,
94, of Watertown, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009, at Golden LivingCenter in
Watertown following a faith-filled life of service to her family, church and
community.
Born in
Crofton, Neb., on Sept. 26, 1915, she was the oldest of 10 children born to the
late Theodore and Josephine Albrecht.
She moved with her parents and siblings to a farm near Menominee, Neb.,
where she attended Beaver Creek and St. Boniface schools. She graduated from Holy Trinity High School
and earned her teaching certificate from Wayne State Teachers College. She taught in one room country schools for
eight years at Beaver Creek and Bow Valley and many of her students maintained
contact with her throughout her life.
She married
Hubert Burbach at St. Boniface in Menominee, Neb., in 1943. They moved to Wisconsin in 1945 and
eventually settled on a farm southwest of Watertown, where they lived for 22
years raising their family of four daughters and three sons. Rita was a stay-at-home mom for 32 years,
gardening, canning, sewing, cooking and baking bread. She instilled the importance of education in
her children and was always proud of their achievements. As a life-long learner, she took classes at
the local technical college. In 1974 she
purchased a home in the city of Watertown and continued working as a nursing
assistant at Watertown Memorial Hospital.
In addition to
her busy life as a farm wife and mother, she volunteered as a 4-H project leader,
missionary health worker in Mexico and food pantry volunteer. Rita volunteered at Beverly Terrace and
Marquardt Manor, leading prayer groups and prayer vigils with the dying. Even though her life was busy she always
found time for routine exercise, including swim aerobics and walking. Later she was a member of the senior center
exercise group and a long term participant in cardiac rehab exercises after her
heart surgery in 2005.
She was active
at St. Henry Catholic Church as a lector, commentator, youth teacher and prayer
group member. She studied life in the
spirit at Living Waters prayer group in Oconomowoc.
She is
remembered by family and friends as living a self-reliant, industrious and
purpose-filled life. Her laughter and
sense of humor were shared gifts. She
never missed a chance to say “I love you” and maintained close friendships with
people of all ages and walks of life.
She enjoyed music, exercise, dance, painting, gardening, sewing,
crocheting and traveling. She cherished
her times with family and friends.
Rita was
preceded in death by her parents, Theodore and Josephine Albrecht; her former
husband, Hubert; sisters, Velma Moen, Marie Bart, Sister Clare (a Maryknoll
missionary), Sister Agnes (Ursuline Order), Sally Sanford; and brothers, Vitus
and Roman Albrecht.
She is survived
by her sister, Joan Suing (Gerald) of St. Helena, Neb.; her brother, Floyd
(Joyce) Fordyce, Neb.; her seven children, Roger, Marie, Joel (Bettina Madini),
Ann (Jon Busateri), Francis (Marianne), Miriam (Jim Crawford) and DelRey; her
grandchildren and stepgrandchildren, Rachel and Becca Crawford, Matt and Allie
Burbach, April and Sheila Mikkelson; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Visitation will
begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Henry Catholic Church in Watertown, followed
by a rosary at 10:45 a.m. and a Mass at 11 a.m. with Father Brian Wilk
officiating. Burial will be in St Henry Catholic Cemetery,
Watertown.
Contributions
can be made in Rita's name to St. Henry's Catholic School Library Fund or
Golden LivingCenter Activity Fund.
Thank you to
the staff at Golden Living and AseraCare Hospice for the care, kindness and
support they provided.
Hafemeister Funeral Home 611 E. Main St. Watertown
History of Watertown, Wisconsin