A beloved Wife, Mother, Nana, Sister and Friend left us on November 27, 2015 when Rita J. Ganser, 78, of Jackson, WI passed away peacefully at her home.
Rita was born December 16, 1936, the daughter of Walter and Lucille (Janick) Garbarski. She was raised along with her nine siblings in Athens, WI. Rita married at a young age and began a family, raised six children in Ft. Atkinson and later moved to West Bend. After her first marriage ended, she met her loving husband of 36 years, Kenneth Ganser. This new chapter of her life brought them to their slice of paradise, a hobby farm in Jackson, WI.
Her life was full of simple pleasures, always choosing to find the beauty in everyone and everything she encountered. She enjoyed all that nature had to offer: a bright full-moon on a clear summer night, the butterflies in her many flower gardens, the frogs in their pond or catching a glimpse of a fox, deer or other wildlife. Other than her time on their farm, Rita enjoyed outings with friends, trips with her husband and spending time with family. Her passion for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren was insurmountable. Her absence from family gatherings, school functions, kids' sporting events and simple daily phone calls will be greatly missed.
Rita is lovingly survived by her husband, Kenneth; children, Tom (Lynn) Gelhar, Cyndee Gelhar, Mike Gelhar, Kathie (Craig) Weinand, Rocky Gelhar. She is further survived by eight grandchildren, Mandy (Scott) Sadownikow, Nicole (Robert) Meyer, TJ (Jessica) Belunes, Joslyn (Donald) Johnson, Becky (Josh) Voigt, Leah Weinand, Jessica Gelhar and Stephanie (Justin) Bradfish; thirteen great-grandchildren; her twin sister Rena Young, sisters Dorothy (Paul) Urshan, Geraldine (Dale) Wenzel and one brother Joseph (Mary Ann) Garbarski.
Her parents, Walter and Lucille, her sisters: Leona Hosch, Mary Garbarski, Nancy Stuer, her brothers: Clarence Garbarski, Walter Garbarski, and her oldest daughter Sherry Belunes, preceded Rita in death.
A funeral service will be held at 6:00pm on Thursday, December 3, 2015, at Phillip Funeral Home in West Bend. We welcome you to share your memories and celebrate Rita's life with her family at the visitation from 4:00pm until the time of service at the funeral home.
"We loved you everyday and now we will miss you everyday!"