Mary Rita Degenfelder

Born August 5, 1929, in Iowa City, Iowa, she was the daughter of Edward and Maggie Bushman. The first in her family to attend college, Rita attended the University of Iowa where she studied business and music while working part-time at Mercy Hospital. It was during this time that she met George Degenfelder at a Newman Club picnic, and they married in 1953. George being a geologist, the couple were transferred often and lived in New York, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan, before finally settling in Midland, TX in 1963. Along with actively raising her 4 children in the church and participating in their school activities, Rita worked as a medical records secretary for Midland Memorial Hospital and later as an oil and gas administrative assistant for NRM Petroleum.

In 2008, Rita moved to Christus St. Joseph’s Village which became her second home for the next 16 years. She made new friends and became involved in a community she grew to love. She will be remembered for her beautiful smile, friendliness, Catholic faith, love of anything purple, pride in her Irish heritage and the Iowa Hawkeyes, and any dessert that included ice cream. Rita was recently described by another resident as a ‘grand lady’.

Rita is preceded in death by her husband, parents, and brothers John, Kenny, and Donny.

Rita is survived by her children Susan (Dean) Christie, Steve (Cheryl) Degenfelder, Jeff (Rennah) Degenfelder, and Diane Degenfelder and her five grandchildren, Kenneth, Megan (Bryan Dugas), Brian, Elizabeth, and John Degenfelder.

A Rosary will be held on Wednesday, August 21st, at 6:30pm in the chapel at Christus St. Joseph’s Village Retirement Community in Coppell, TX. Her Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday, August 22nd, at 10:00am in the same location. A graveside service will follow on August 27th at Resthaven Memorial Park in Midland, TX.

The Degenfelder family would like to thank St. Joseph’s Village and their loving and caring staff that made it Rita’s home and extended family. Over the past 5 years Miss Rita, as she was fondly called, was cared for by the Assisted Living staff and her personal caregivers, Regina Washington, Syreeta Smith, and Iesha Shannon. All were devoted to ensuring she was safe, happy, and healthy and words cannot express our gratitude and appreciation for their dedicated service. The family would also like to thank Waldo Rios and the staff at Knights of Comfort Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer’s Association and Knights of Comfort Hospice.