Rita Monzel

Tucson, AZ- Rita Monzel, 63 of Tucson and formally of Webster died on Friday, January 12, 2007 at her home in Tucson. Her funeral will be at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, January 20, 2007 at Fiksdal Funeral Chapel in Webster with burial in the Webster Cemetery. Visitation will be at Fiksdal Funeral Service in Webster on Friday, 4-8 P.M. and one hour prior to services on Saturday. Rita Raye Stee was born on Monday, August 2, 1943 to Cliford and Madeline (Sorensen) Stee at the Peabody Memorial Hospital in Webster. She was baptized at the United Methodist Church in Webster. She grew up near Webster, attended school and graduated from Webster High School in 1961. After high school she attended and graduated from Presentation College in Aberdeen and received a Nursing Degree and became a Registered Nurse. On August 1, 1964 she married Peter John Monzel at Webster, South Dakota. After their marriage the couple made their home in Aberdeen. In 1968 they returned to Webster where she was a homemaker, raising her family. In 1988 she moved to Tucson, Arizona to care for her parents. She worked as a nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital and did home healthcare until she retired for health reasons in 2003. Her son Michael and his fiancé Tracie cared for and assisted Rita after she fell and dislocated her shoulder in 2003. In 2004 Mike and Tracie moved into the house next door to her and continued to care for her until she passed away. She loved gardening, reading, bird watching, crossword puzzles and solitaire. She was a member of the Tucson Iris Society, she volunteered at the Tucson Community Theater and was a member of Arizona-Sonora Museum. She loved horses and collected horse figurines all of her life. Rita passed away on Friday, January 12, 2007 at her home in Tucson at the age of 63 years, 5 months and 10 days. Survivors include two sons, Peter Mark (Karin) Monzel of Vermillion, SD and Clifford Michael Monzel (Tracie Fisher) of Tucson, AZ; three grandchildren, Christopher, Karla and Kimberly Baker; and a great grandchild, Kate Lynn Baker. She was preceded in death by her parents.