Mass of Christian Burial for Rita Seifert Holmes, 88 of Mankato, formerly of Clements will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 14th at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Wabasso. Visitation will be from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 13th at the church and one hour prior to the service. A social and meal will be held at the Wabasso Community Center following the Mass with all welcome. Burial will take place after the social at St. Joseph’s Catholic Cemetery in Clements. Masks are required at all indoor events and social distancing guidelines will be followed.
Rita Seifert Holmes was born to John and Catherine (Bernardy) Daub December 16, 1932 at the home farm in Vail Township near Wabasso, Minnesota. She was raised on the Daub family farm and graduated from St. Anne’s Catholic High School in Wabasso. She attended Mankato State Teacher’s College, graduating with a certificate in education, then after student teaching at a one room country school, was hired to teach elementary school in Russell and Ivanhoe. During her time as a teacher, she met Norbert Seifert at a dance in Springfield, Minnesota and on June 15, 1957, they were married at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Wabasso. Norbert’s outgoing personality and sense of humor was in contrast to her quiet demeanor and contentment to be at home. Together, they raised six sons while raising small grain, corn, soybeans, cows, hogs and chickens on their farm near Clements, Minnesota, partnering in agriculture with Norbert’s brother Lawrence and his family. For several seasons, she worked at the Del Monte factory in Sleepy Eye canning peas and sweet corn. Rita was a very hard worker growing up and on the family farm, tending to laundry, meals, cleaning and giving sensibility to seven men. She enjoyed gardening, reading, volunteering, playing solitaire, word find books and keeping up with the various activities of her boys in and out of school. Norbert passed away on June 15, 2001 on their 44th wedding anniversary. On November 29, 2003, she married Earl Holmes and moved to the lake near Elysian, Minnesota. Rita and Earl enjoyed family time, lake life, quiet retirement and yearly trips to Florida. They later moved to Ecuman Pathstone Assisted Living in Mankato. Earl passed away on June 2, 2020. Rita faced recent health challenges and passed away on Wednesday, May 5, 2021 at the age of 88. Rita was a woman of faith and a wonderful example of a loving wife, mother and role model. She attended Mass every week of her life until her health was too frail. She always had kind and positive things to say about other people and was empathetic to the marginalized in society. She was never judgmental and lived life as a quiet example of a patient, respectful, kindhearted and considerate woman. Rita loved her husbands, sons, grandchildren and great-grandchildren unconditionally and with a calm sense of devotion. As a child born during the Great Depression, Rita was thrifty and frugal, pouring over coupons for groceries, always saving bags, containers, leftovers and anything that “could be used for something someday.” As she raised her family, Rita volunteered for the community, church and schools, then later spent time assisting at Groundswell in Wanda and served as a local officer for Catholic Aid and the Clements American Legion Auxiliary. Her only specific wishes as she looked to plan for her funeral was that she have a Mass and that her six sons be her pallbearers.
Rita is survived by her sons Dave (Tina) of Hutchinson, Tim (Lisa) of Mankato, Leon (Dar) of Redwood Falls, Al (Sharon) of Blair, Wisconsin, Keith (Carol) of Mankato, and Marty (Traci) of Marshall; twelve grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, brother Ed Daub of Wabasso, step children Christine (Don) Rasmussen, Jim Holmes, Pat (Mylene) Holmes and Mike (Kitty) Holmes and many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. Rita was preceded in death by her husbands Norbert Seifert and Earl Holmes, her parents John and Catherine Daub, brothers Herbert, Donald and Jack, sister Joan Holmes, nephew Jerome Seifert and infant granddaughter Andrea Seifert.