Rita Decker

The funeral service celebrating the life of Rita Decker will be held at 10:30 am. on Monday, December 23, at the Domina-Anderson Chapel in Bertha, with Pastor Porter presiding. Visitation will be held at the chapel on Monday, from 9:00a.m. until the time of the service. Burial will be in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Bertha, MN. Rita Genette Peery, a beloved farmer, community volunteer, and lifelong learner, passed away peacefully at the age of 85 on December 18, 2024, at Lakewood Health Care Center, in Staples, MN. Rita was born on August 28, 1939, the daughter of Frank and Irene (Conrad) Peery on her grandfather’s farm in Cottonwood County, MN. She was baptized at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Jeffers where she began her spiritual journey. The family moved to a farm in Todd County near Eagle Bend. Rita was part of a close-knit family that included her siblings: Woodrow, Elmyra, and Julia. Rita attended Red Oak District 82 Country School then graduated from Eagle Bend High School. On December 28, 1957, Rita married Wallace Decker. The couple initially lived in the Twin Cities for a year before returning to the Eagle Bend area to farm. Throughout her life, Rita was deeply involved in her community. She was passionate about church and local organizations, participating enthusiastically in the Todd County Homemakers Group, Dairy Association, and Todd County Farm Bureau. She was a dedicated Bible school and Release time teacher, served as President of the Lutheran Women's Missionary League (LWML), and was an active member of the Great River Regional Library Board. Her community spirit was evident in her continuous engagement and willingness to serve. Rita and Wallace shared a love of travel, taking numerous bus trips together. They particularly enjoyed visiting country music destinations like Branson, MO, and Nashville, TN. Their travels also included cultural excursions to Chicago's museums and historical trips to the East Coast, including Boston and Washington D.C., where they explored Civil War sites. In August 2016, Rita made Lakewood Care Center in Staples her home. Even in this new chapter of her life, she remained active and vibrant, participating in various activities and forming new friendships with residents and staff. Preceding Rita in death were her husband Wallace Decker and her parents Frank and Irene Peery. She is survived by her sisters Elmyra and Julia, and her brother Woodrow and his wife Rosamond. Rita will be missed most by her children Carolyn, Susan, Elaine, KyLynn (Carmen), Beth and Todd (Katie) and her grandchildren Jamese and Sammuel. Rita touched so many hearts in her community, her friends, and all who knew her kind and generous spirit.

Rita Decker

August 28, 1939 - December 18, 2024