Rita Grace Waters Hannah

She was born on the 10th of March 1925, in Colorado Springs, Colorado to Roy Herman Waters and Dele Bishop Waters.

She attended University of Colorado, where she pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma.

While home on a school break, Rita met John Hannah, a Houstonian whose family enjoyed a summer home in Colorado Springs. The couple began a courtship, and soon after Rita transferred to the University of Texas, where she graduated in 1946 with a bachelor’s degree in French.

Rita and John were married on the 19th of July 1947, at Grace Episcopal Church in Colorado Springs. From there they embarked on a two month long honeymoon, driving across the Midwest and into Canada. They established their residence in Austin, Texas, where their daughter, Heather, was born in 1948.

In 1949, they moved to Houston where John entered the field of commercial real estate. In 1953, Janet, a second daughter was born. Rita was a homemaker and committed volunteer.

Rita and John were founding members of St. Philip Presbyterian Church in the early 1950s. Rita was active in the Church until recently when her health began to fail. Over the years she was a Sunday school teacher, youth advisor, and librarian.

Rita served quietly and with grace. She was involved with Houston Metropolitan Ministries (now Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston). She assisted residents in public housing and was an advocate for civil rights for all. She tutored at-risk children in the Houston Independent School District. She started a Sunday school program for patient at what was then Hermann Hospital. She also served on the Board of Brazos Presbyterian Homes.

She and John loved to travel. They took their daughters, and later their granddaughters, on trips during summer and school breaks. They also traveled widely in the U.S. and abroad. Rita’s favorite destinations were the mountains in Colorado, Idaho, and Wyoming where she and John loved to hike. She was especially fond of wildflowers.

Rita also loved art and visited museums all over the world. She enjoyed the Alley Theater and the Houston Symphony. She dabbled in watercolor and took classes at the Glassell School of Art.

She was a 71 year emeritus of the Junior League of Houston. In 2018, she was honored as a 75 year member of Kappa Kappa Gamma.

Rita will be remembered for her devotion to John, her partner in marriage for over 70 years. She was a loving mother and an exuberantly proud grandmother of three, great-grandmother of six and great-great-grandmother of two.

Rita is preceded in death by her beloved husband, John, and granddaughter, Jennifer Thorvilson.

She is survived by her daughters, Heather Hannah Beadle of Boulder, Colorado and Janet Hannah Eskridge and husband, Carl, of Lincoln, Nebraska; granddaughters, Hannah Mirmiran of Omaha, Nebraska, and Rachel Eskridge of Nashville, Tennessee. She is also survived by great-grandchildren, Grace and Johnathan Thorvilson; Joey, Daniel, and Lily Mirmiran; Jac Eskridge-Smith; and great-great-grandchildren, Will and Daxton Thorvilson.

Other survivors are her sister, Jane Carlson of Boulder, Colorado, and nieces and nephews whom she adored.

The family wishes to thank the staff and residents of the Hallmark for their gracious and compassionate care. Of special mention are loving caregivers Meg Arismendez, Theresa Cerf, Doris Jackson, Barbara Nelson, Charlesetta Payton, Mercy Thomas and Paula Turner.

A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Thursday, the 12th of March, at St. Philip Presbyterian Church, 4807 San Felipe Street in Houston, where the Rev. Dr. John Wurster, Pastor, is to officiate. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family in the gathering area for a reception.

Prior to the memorial service, the family will have gathered for a private interment at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed toward St. Philip Presbyterian Church, 4807 San Felipe St., Houston, TX 77056.