Funeral services for Rita Maude Knoll, 76, of Perry will be held Saturday, June 8 at 10 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Perry. Visitation will be after 1 p.m. Friday, June 7 at Hastings Funeral Home in Perry, with family present from 5-7 p.m.
Rita Maude Knoll, daughter of Albert Wesley Palmer and Velma Grace Pierce Palmer, was born June 4, 1942, in Guthrie County, Iowa, and died May 20, 2019, at the Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa, at the age of 76.
Rita and Ernest Irving Knoll were united in marriage June 26, 1960, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in rural Greene County. The couple was blessed with five children: Beverly, Phillip, Connie, Keith and Annette.
The family moved to Perry in the fall of 1965 and made it their permanent home.
In 1967 Rita started working at the Perry Lutheran Home as a CMA and CNA. She worked there for 40 years before retiring in 2007.
Rita and Ernest owned and operated the Bait Shop on W. Second Street from 1993 until 2005.
Rita enjoyed word searches, puzzles, sewing and, most of all, being with her family.
She was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Perry and the Ladies Aide.
Rita was preceded in death by her parents, Albert and Grace Palmer; her husband of 58 years, Ernest, on April 8, 2018; her father-in-law, William Knoll; mother-in-law, Stella Pearl Knoll; and her brother-in-law, William Henry Knoll Jr.
Rita is survived by her children, Beverly (Brent) Hegstrom of Dawson, Phillip (Jean) Knoll of Otho, Connie (Terry Liggett) Smothers of Perry, Keith Knoll of Perry and Annette Knoll of Perry; eight grandchildren, Bryan Hegstrom, Cristina (Andrew Williams) Hegstrom, Jason (Andria) Smothers, Cory (Evelyn) Knoll, Forest (Ann) Knoll, Zacharey (Samantha) Smothers, Karrie (Mark Ehlers) Smothers and Schyler Knoll; nine great-grandchildren, Brooklyn Williams, Emily Williams, Zayden Smothers, Raquel Smothers, Lexi Smothers, Nason Knoll, River Knoll, Lola Banks and Avigail Harris; brothers, Donald Palmer of LeMars and Gerald (Arlene) Palmer of Perry; many cousins; other relatives; and many friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the family for future distribution.
