Rita A. Gress, 89, Ireland
Rita A. Gress, 89, of Ireland, Indiana, passed away at 9:17 a.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, at home.
Rita was born in Jasper, Indiana, on September 11, 1930, to Albert and Frances (Hauser) Fehribach. She married Lee A. Gress on April 22, 1950, in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Jasper, Indiana. He preceded her in death on July 19, 2015.
She was a homemaker and lifetime farmer. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ireland, Indiana, where she was in the St. Ann’s Society, a Leader of the Holy Spirit Prayer Group, and the Long-Term Planning Committee, and she was also on the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women and a past member of the PTA and the CFM, and was a 4-H Leader.
She enjoyed gardening, canning, cooking, sewing, and was an avid church member, enjoying Bible studies, as she led many of them, and praying the rosary.
She is survived by five daughters, Carla (David) Allbright, Becky (Dwain) Allbright, both of Mitchell, Linda (Gregory) Huls of Littleton, Colo., Marg (Steve) Buechler of Ireland, and Mary (David) Waninger of Chrisney; five sons, Duane (Diane) Gress of Ireland, Bob (Teresa) Gress of Huntingburg, Pat (Cindy) Gress of Ireland, Stan (Julie) Gress of Ireland, Greg Gress of Denver, Colo.; 33 grandchildren, 47 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Jean Eck of Jasper, Delores Johnson of Swiz City, Ind., and Patsy Dunkel of Jasper; four brothers, John Fehribach of Melbourne, Fla., Joe (Sandra) Fehribach, Tom (Carole) Fehribach, both of Jasper, and Jim Fehribach, of Haysville.
Preceding her in death besides her husband are two sisters, Lucille Crockett and Rosie Hopf; one brother, Karl Fehribach; and a sister, Viola Fehribach, who died in infancy.
Private funeral services for Rita A. Gress will be held at the Becher-Kluesner Downtown Chapel in Jasper. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at a later date at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Ireland, Indiana, with burial in the church cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary’s Catholic Church Building Fund or to a favorite charity.
Online condolences may be made at www.becherkluesner.com.
