Rita M. Gehle

Rita M. Gehle, age 85, of St. Henry, Ohio died Saturday, March 26, 2022, at Briarwood Village in Coldwater.  She was born May 22, 1936, in Wendelin, to the late Edmund & Mary (Reichert) Koesters.  On November 27, 1958, she married Wilbert “Wib” Gehle, and he died December 12, 1989.  Rita is survived by children and in-laws: Marie “Stormy” & Joe Wilker of Coldwater, and John “Shorty” & Bernadette Gehle of Van Wert, two grandchildren, David & Sara Wilker of Noblesville, IN, and Michelle Wilker of Coldwater, step-grandchildren Chrystal & Gill Heredia, and Leah Colley; two great grandchildren, Bryson and Everly Wilker, and seven step-great grandchildren, Roxanne, Aniya, Ariel, Kaiden, Harvey, Attilia, and Aida.  Also surviving are siblings and in-laws, Mildred & Ivo Heitkamp of St. Henry, Howard & Karen Koesters of St. Henry, Evelyn Koesters of Coldwater, and Tom Rose of St. Henry.

In addition to her parents and husband, Rita is preceded in death by siblings and in-laws, Irene & Barney Meyer, Ralph Koesters, Rich & Audrey Gehle, Helen & Walter Dues, Marilyn & Martin Mott, and Alice Rose, and her father and mother-in -law, John & Loretta Gehle.

Rita was a member of St. Henry Catholic Church, St. Henry, and Altar Rosary Sodality.  She worked at the former Buckeye Apparel in Coldwater and retired after 30 years there.    Rita was a member of the Naim of the North Widow and Widowers group, and the Coldwater VFW Ladies Auxiliary.  She enjoyed bingo, gambling, and was always lucky with scratch off tickets.

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 31, 2022, at St. Henry Church, St. Henry.  Burial will follow at St. Henry Cemetery.  Friends may call 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm Wednesday, March 30, and 9:00 to 10:00 am Thursday, March 31 at the Hogenkamp Funeral Home in St. Henry.  Memorial contributions may be made to EverHeart Hospice.  Condolences may be expressed at hogenkampfh.com.