Rita A. Nagel of Morrison, IL, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 27, 2022, in Maple Grove, MN, after battling dementia with grace and dignity for two decades.
She was born on November 29, 1932, in Clinton, IA, to long-time local florists, Joe and Helen (O’Toole) Wilson. Rita and her “favorite sister,” Joanie, spent many hours together at Wilson’s Greenhouse, which fostered a lifelong love of community service, nature, and science.
Rita graduated from Morrison High School in 1950 and then attended St. Catherine College in St. Paul, Minnesota, before graduating with a degree in Education from Northern Illinois University.
Rita married John Nagel on June 16, 1956, and they celebrated their 60th Anniversary together before he passed away in 2016. As a wedding present, John built Rita her dream home on Carroll Road. She loved “The Red Brick House.” They lived there together for over 45 years, where they raised their six children.
Education was a lifelong passion for Rita. For more than 25 years, she taught full-time while raising six kids and somehow finding time and energy to earn her Master’s Degree in Education. She wrapped up her career teaching 8th grade Science at Morrison Junior High School. Rita won Teacher of the Year for her work re-establishing a prairie and a windbreak at the school.
She was always curious and cultivated a sense of curiosity in others. There was always a jigsaw or crossword puzzle underway. She was always up for a rousing game night, and somehow managed to regularly assemble us on the driveway on a warm summer night to watch meteor showers. She loved creating things–dozens of spectacular quilts, endless crafts, thousands of cookies, and hours of volunteer time for Morrison Historical Society. Rita was a lifelong, faithful Catholic. Serving and staying connected to the community was important to her.
She loved her family, especially her 13 grandchildren, and every holiday was a celebration. Upon retirement, she and husband enjoyed many trips touring the U. S. and overseas, winters in sunny Florida, as well as visiting her far-flung family.
Those left to honor her memory include daughters, Doris Nagel of Lincolnshire, IL, Susan (John) Mack of Maple Grove, MN; sons, Joseph (Julie) Nagel of Stevens Point, WI, Robert (Nancy) Nagel of Morrison, CO, Thomas (Shirlene) Nagel, of Amarillo, TX, and William (Sarah) Nagel of San Francisco, CA; 13 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Joan Wilson Lane; numerous in-laws.
Celebration of the Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, January 6, 2022, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Morrison, IL, with Rev. Slawomir Zimodro officiating.
Burial will be at Morrison, IL, Grove Hill Cemetery afterwards.
Visitation will occur one hour prior to Mass, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Morrison, IL.
To send condolences, visit www.mcdonaldfuneralhomes.com.