Rita Gertrude Becker Vornhagen

Rita G. (Becker) Vornhagen, 96, Lincoln, died Monday, March 4, 2019. Born in St. Helena, NE, 6/3/1922 to Marcus & Mary (Paltz) Becker. Rita was a caretaker from the time she was young. She took care of local mothers and newborns of relatives and friends. She worked at a small restaurant in Yankton, SD. Then Rita moved to Omaha where she worked in a warehouse and bakery. About a year after that, she married Ray, on her 25^th birthday, June 3, 1947 in St. Helena, NE. They moved to Niobrara in the spring of 1948, where they farmed, and Rita always had a HUGE garden. Rita was a long-time member of St. William’s Catholic Church in Niobrara until she moved to Lincoln to be near daughter, Patti.

After years of hosting “Camp Vornhagen” to many nieces and nephews, Ray & Rita welcomed four children into their home: Regina (Jean), Richard, James (Jim), and Patricia (Patti).

Rita was preceded in death by her husband, Ray, parents, Marcus & Mary Becker, son, Richard, brothers Donald Becker, Wilford Becker & Florenze Becker and sister Mercedes Becker.

Rita is survived by her children: Patti (Scott) Beasley of Lincoln, Jim (Deanne) Vornhagen of Norfolk and Jean Opitz of Spearfish, SD; her grandchildren: Patrick, Alex (Brianna) & Chris Beasley; Scott, Adam & Jay Vornhagen, Sabelle Opitz, Jamie (Troy) Winslow & Ilise Opitz, Dayleen (Mike) Eiselein & David Vornhagen; and five great-grandchildren: Arielle Opitz-Brownelle, Tehya & Mihari Winslow, Nathan & Markus Eiselein. She is also survived by sisters Rose Marie (Sis) Paulsen of Emerson, Genevieve Scholte of Emerson and Charlotte Wiebelhaus of Omaha, and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Those of you who knew Rita cared for her almost as much as we did. Thank you for loving her and filling her heart with joy and laughter over the years. She was one of a kind, and she will be missed. But God needed to fill His garden with this special flower. She is now our Angel, watching over us all and keeping us safe.

Memorial Service on April 5, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Williams Catholic Church in Niobrara, Nebraska.   Memorials to the family for future designation.  Condolences to www.aspenaftercare.com.

God looked around His garden and He found
an empty place.
He then looked down upon this earth, and saw
your tired face.
He put His arms around you and lifted
you to rest.
God’s garden must be beautiful, He always
takes the best.
He knew that you were suffering; he knew
you were in pain.
He knew that you would never get well on
earth again.
He saw the road was getting rough and the
hills were hard to climb.
So He closed your weary eyelids, and
whispered, “Peace be thine.”
It broke our hearts to lose you but you didn’t
go alone.
For part of us went with you the day God
called you home.

We miss you already…
your loving Family