Rita Mae Lester Obituary

Rita passed peacefully to eternal life on Tuesday, January 23, 2024 at the age of 85, surrounded by her loving children. Born in Milwaukee on May 16, 1938 to Arthur and Anna (Horst) Ehlenbach, she was the youngest of 11 children. As the baby of the family, she developed her spunky spirit at a young age, having to fend for herself in a busy household with lots of older siblings. She loved sports. In her youth, she played baseball and basketball, and ultimately became a huge fan of the Packers, Bucks, and Brewers. She attended Mother of Good Counsel School and Messmer High School, where she was captain of the girls basketball team. A jokester, she was known for pulling pranks on the nuns and always keeping them on their toes. After high school, she worked at T.C. Esser paint store where she developed some lifelong friendships. In 1959, she worked at The Grand department store, where she met Tom, her Prince Charming. They wed on August 31, 1963. She and Tom were blessed with three children, and she became a doting stay-at-home mom. In her spare time, she played on a women's bowling league. Once her children were grown, she took a job as a Demonstrator-Coordinator with Johnsonville Brat Company and eventually took a similar position with Millstone Gourmet Coffee. She loved her coffee! In retirement, she enjoyed camping with her husband and spending time with her grandkids. She had a special fondness for their late dog Snickers. For the past three years, she lived at Azura Memory Care of Brookfield, where she was the lifeblood of her senior community and loved by residents and staff alike. She spent her final years enjoying many activities with her besties - baking club, dancing, games, Wii-Bowling, trivia, happy hour, and anything social.

Rita was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 54 years Thomas, her parents and her siblings Ralph (Lucille) Ehlenbach, Audrey Ehlenbach, Kenneth (Grace) Ehlenbach, Clifford (Audrey) Ehlenbach. Jean (William) Schulz, Joseph (Carol) Ehlenbach, Thomas (Loretta) Ehlenbach, Anthony Ehlenbach, and unnamed baby-boy Ehlenbach. She is survived by her children, Timothy (Karen) Lester, Katherine Umhoefer and Patricia (Michael) McWhinney. Loving Grandmother to Karalyn Lester, Elisabeth Lester, Melissa (Daniel) Tomczyk, Angela Umhoefer, Christina Umhoefer, and Isabella McWhinney. Great-grandmother to Noah, Mia and Zoë Tomczyk. Further survived by her sister Mary Ann (Delano - deceased) Ristow, and many other friends and relatives. Visitation Monday, January 29, 2024 at Schmidt & Bartelt Funeral Home, N84 W17937 Menomonee Ave in Menomonee Falls from 4PM until time of the Rosary at 7PM. Visitation also on Tuesday, January 30, 2024 at ST. MARY CATHOLIC CHURCH, N89W16297 Cleveland Ave in Menomonee Falls from 9:30AM until time to celebrate the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30AM. Rita will be laid to rest and reunited with Tom privately at St. Mary's Cemetery.