Rita Teresa Strueby
Rita Teresa Strueby
1923-2017
Rita Teresa Strueby, 93, Stanberry, Missouri, passed away Friday, March 17, 2017 at an Albany, Missouri hospital.
Rita was born on April 7, 1923 at the family home near Clyde, Missouri, the youngest of eight children of Robert and Pauline (Durbin) Ellerman.
She attended Green Valley School during her elementary years and graduated high school from St. Benedict’s School in Clyde.
On August 26, 1947, Rita married John Julius Strueby in the Basilica at the Conception Abbey, Conception, Missouri. They remained married for 65 years until his death on April 9, 2013. She was a loving wife and mother.
Among her many life’s achievements perhaps three are best remembered: 1) She started painting at the age of 60 and would paint on almost anything people brought her. She specialized in painting family farms/barns but also painted scenery, still-life and crafts. Her passion for painting produced hundreds of items and her paintings are hanging in homes throughout the United States. 2) Being the youngest of her family, she was caregiver for several of her siblings. The loving, patient compassion she gave to her brothers and sisters will long be remembered. 3) She was the Avon Representative for many years in the Stanberry & Conception areas. She had many faithful customers and she received numerous awards for her sales accomplishments.
During WWII, Rita worked at the Remington Arms Ammunitions Plant (Lake City Arsenal) and at Pratt and Whitney in Kansas City, Consolidated Vultee Aircraft and the Navy Repair Base in San Diego, California doing such things as inspecting machine gun bullets, riveting airplanes and secretarial duties.
She loved playing games and was an avid Pitch player, winning many tournaments that she and John attended.
Rita was an active member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Stanberry serving in the St. Ann Altar Society and as a Eucharistic Minister. Using her painting talent, she refurbished many of the statues in the church and, with John’s help, the large Nativity figures used in the church every Christmas. Her efforts won her the Bishop’s award for “outstanding visible contribution to the life and work of the church”.
Rita was also preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Angelus, Julius and Paul Ellerman; sisters, Madeline (Sr. Pauline) Ellerman, Marguerite (Sr. Roberta) Ellerman, Loyola (Lola) Ross and Alice Ellerman.
Survivors include her daughters, Bobbie (Glenn) Holstine, Wheatland, Missouri and Joyce (Ron) Harding, Olathe, Kansas; sons, Jim (Nancy) Strueby, Darlington, Missouri and Joe (Barb) Strueby, Lenexa, Kansas; grandchildren, Quentin (Kirsten) Strueby, Cosby, Missouri, Robyn (B. J.) Marshall, Knoxville, Tennessee and Jeremy (Samantha) Harding, Olathe, Kansas; great-grandsons, Ian Marshall and Grayson Strueby; an Ellerman nephew, Gary Ross, Parkville, Missouri and many Strueby nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 21 at St. Columba Catholic Church, Conception Jct., Missouri. Burial will follow in the St. Columba Cemetery, Conception, Missouri. A Rosary will be at 6:00 p.m. Monday followed by the family visitation from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Monday at Roberson Funeral Home, Stanberry, Missouri where friends may call after 4:00 p.m. Monday. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of America and/or St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Stanberry in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 153, Stanberry, MO 64489. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com.
