Rita Mehmen

Rita Mehmen, 84, of Charles City, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020 at the 11th Street Chautauqua Guest Home in Charles City.

A funeral Mass for Rita Mehmen will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Charles City with Reverend Tom Heathershaw officiating. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery.

Visitation will be at Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020 and will continue one hour before the funeral Mass at the church on Thursday. Those in attendance at the funeral home and the church will be asked to follow social distancing guidelines and to please wear a face covering.

Rita Mae Mary (McCoy) Mehmen, the daughter of Francis and Edna (Gerner) McCoy, was born on Aug. 10, 1936 at the family home near Charles City. She attended country school, Colwell School and graduated from Charles City High School in 1954.

Rita began working at Salsbury Laboratories as part of the co-op program in 1953 while she was still in school. After graduation, she remained employed there as an executive assistant until her retirement in the early 2000’s. Even after retiring, Rita continued her employment through a temp agency.

Rita was united in marriage to Larry Mehmen on July 2, 1959 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in New Haven. The couple made their home in Charles City and they were blessed with two daughters: Penny and Kimberly. Rita was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church where she was active in the St. Theresa Circle and the Rosary Society. She was also a member of the Moose and later in life joined Curves in Charles City where she remained active for several years.

Rita excelled in shorthand as an executive assistant and used it to write notes to herself at home that her daughters couldn’t decipher (until Penny learned shorthand). She enjoyed traveling (taking several memorable trips to Hawaii, London, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy and Lichtenstein), going to casinos, knitting, bowling, golfing, line dancing and working crossword puzzles (usually filling out the New York Times crossword in ink). Rita loved time with her family, especially visiting her daughters in Maryland and Oklahoma and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also enjoyed spending nearly 20 years in Arizona during winter.

Living family members include her two daughters: Penny (David) Marchyshyn of Port Republic, Maryland and Kim (Greg) Arnold of Claremore, Oklahoma; three grandchildren: Cory Cuccuini (Addie Asbury), Amanda (Ardy) Amin and Josh (Hailey) Marchyshyn; three great-grandchildren: Aiden, Jack and Tucker; two sisters: Madonna Trask of Charles City and Joyce (Gordon) Jung of Charles City; brother, Gary (Sharol) McCoy of Charles City; special friend, Bill Fox of Osage; along with many nieces, nephews, other family members and friends.

Rita was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Larry in 1977; and brother-in-law, Lester Trask in 2018.

Rita’s family would like to thank the 11th Street Chautauqua Guest Home for the loving care she received while living there.

Hauser Weishaar Funeral Home, (641) 228-2323, 1205 South Main Street, Charles City, Iowa 50616 is in charge of local arrangements. Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall for the family at www.hauserfh.com.