Rita Christina Jackson

Rita Jackson, 96, of Ottawa, passed away Tuesday, July 30, 2019, at Rock Creek Nursing Home of Ottawa. Funeral mass will be held at 11:00 A.M., Tuesday, August 6, 2019, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The Rosary will be held at 6:30 P.M., Monday, August 5, 2019, at Dengel & Son Mortuary, followed by a visitation for family and friends from 7:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. Interment Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Ottawa. Rita was born January 22, 1923 in Garnett, Kansas, the daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Roecker) Katzer. She grew up in the Garnett area, moving in 1965 to Ottawa. On May 10, 1947, Rita was united in marriage to Elmer Glenn Jackson in Garnett. He preceded her in death on April 17, 1989. She was also preceded in death by her parents; son, Clyde Jackson; four sisters and five brothers; grandson, Kevin Jackson, Jr.; daughter-in-law, Stella Jackson; son-in-law, Jack Poe; and great- granddaughter, Amber Butter. Survivors include four children, Kenneth Jackson and wife Judy of Ottawa, Kevin Jackson and Wanda Lewis of Lawrence, Glenda Poe of Longview, Texas, and Rita Penny and husband Gary of Central, Utah; thirteen grandchildren, thirty-five great grandchildren and twenty-three great-great grandchildren. Rita and Glenn owned and operated a dairy farm south of Garnett from 1949 to 1965 when Glenn’s declining health due to Multiple Sclerosis forced them to sell the farm and move to Ottawa. Rita was employed as a seamstress for many years working for Warner Brothers Manufacturing in Garnett in the late 1950s to 1960s and H.D. Lee in Ottawa from the mid-1960s to late 1970s. She was a parts tester at King Radio in Ottawa during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Rita also was a full-time caregiver for Glenn during the 1970s and 1980s until his death in 1989. She was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Altar Society and former member of Holy Angels Catholic Church in Garnett. Rita loved spending time with family and grandchildren. She always looked forward to hosting the many family functions at Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. She enjoyed sewing, quilting and crochet. Rita raised many animals and birds, enjoyed flower gardening, ceramics, and was an experienced bargain hunter. The family suggests memorial contributions to Ursuline Sisters in Kentucky or the Sacred Heart Catholic Church c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067. Family and friends are encouraged to post their condolences and memories on Rita’s Tribute Wall at www.dengelmortuary.com