Rita Wiegand, longtime Newell educator, passed away Saturday, January 7, 2012 at the Rapid City Regional Hospital.

Visitation will be from 1-5 p.m. Thursday, January 12th at the Kinkade Funeral Chapel in Sturgis.

Memorial Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, January 13, 2012 at the Newell Christian Fellowship Church with Pastor Sean Carney officiating. Inurnment will take place at the Sibley Iowa Cemetery at a later date.

Rita was born on April 17, 1940 at Fairmont, MN to Myrle and Esther (Fulton) Wiegand. At the age of 2, Rita and her parents traveled to California where her father worked for Douglas Aircraft. When Rita was a kindergartner the family returned to Iowa where she started her schooling. In 1958, Rita graduated from Greattinger High School and then attended college where she received her elementary teaching degree. She taught several years in Montana before moving to Newell, SD to teach the upper elementary grades. Rita taught at the Newell School for 34 years, where she coached basketball, took tickets at sporting events, and " ran" the chain at football games. Upon retirement, Rita substitute taught, served on the Newell School Board, drove bus and "watched" the bus shed.

Rita was very involved in the Newell community where she was on the setup crew of the Newell Ram Show and Sale, served on the Newell City Council as council member and mayor, a representative of the Prairie Hills Transit, and a Newell Lion's Club member where she served as president and was a Melvin Jones Fellowship recipient. At the Newell Labor Day celebration, Rita could be found lining up the parade and taking tickets at the rodeo. Rita, an avid golfer, taught many youth how to have fun golfing.

Rita is survived by her dog, "Lucky" and a HUGE host of friends.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to the Newell School.

"We are all pencils in the hand of God" Mother Teresa of Calcutta.

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