Rita Marie Winkler

Rita Marie Winkler, 57, of Cincinnati, OH, formerly of Emlenton, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 10, 2020 at Terrace View Gardens.   Rita was the youngest of seven siblings born to Harold and Mary Jane Oglesby Winkler on July 9, 1963. 

Rita grew up on the family farm near Emlenton. She attended school in Clarion and later worked at the Venango County Training Center for years while living at home.   She was a special child, always happy, with a positive attitude, and she enjoyed bowling, bingo, music, puzzles and cats.   

Following the death of her parents, Rita went to live with her sister, Ruby and family near Joplin, Missouri and later, she moved to Cincinnati, Ohio to live with her brother, Joe and family, and worked at Goodwill Industries. 

For years, the annual Winkler/Oglesby/Garris family reunion was held on the Winkler homestead near Emlenton on a weekend in July which coincided with Rita’s birthday.  Rita always enjoyed seeing everyone and loved her birthday parties, which included fresh-baked bread from a wood-fired brick bake oven, barbecued meat, pot-luck casseroles, and a birthday cake with her name and age.   It was always a joy every year to see friends and relatives and to see Rita smile and laugh.

Rita was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Mary Jane Winkler, sister Ida Mae Mack, and sister Helen Lavina Smith.  She is survived by brother Joe Winkler and wife, Carolyn; brother Gene Winkler and wife, Lyn Gordon-Winkler; sister Evelyn Smith and husband JR; and sister Ruby Doubledee and husband Steve.  She is also survived by numerous nephews and nieces and cousins, and one uncle, Don Oglesby and one aunt, Anna Winkler.

Special thanks go to Joyce Curran for looking after Harold and Mary Jane, during the years before their deaths, and also caring for Rita.   Also, thanks to Ruby and Steve, and Joe and Carolyn who became the guardians for Rita in her final years.  The time and commitment spent was selfless and very much appreciated.  Sincere appreciation is for Evelyn Smith and her husband JR and daughter Melinda and husband Ray, who, in addition to Joe and Carolyn and family, were regular visitors to Rita in the Terrace View Garden Nursing Home and Hospice who took wonderful care of Rita.

Contributions in memory of Rita can be made to the Burlington Bible Church, 6529 Rogers Lane, Burlington, KY 41005, for their Gideon Bible project.

Friends will be received at the Hile Funeral Home, Inc., 1204 Kerr Ave., Emlenton, from Noon – 2 p.m. Friday.  A funeral service will follow from the funeral home at 2:00 p.m. with the Rev. Cynthia Oglesby Hill, Rita’s Cousin, associate pastor at the Crossings Free Methodist Church in Oil City and Polk Center Chaplain, officiating.  Interment will be beside her parents and sister in Big Bend Cemetery, Scrubgrass Township.  For more information, or to send a condolence, please visit www.hilefh.com.

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