Obituary: Rita Mary Bloedel

April 6, 1931 ~ June 7, 2020

Rita Mary Bloedel, 89, of Sturgeon Bay, previously of Edgar, died as a result of an automobile accident in Door County on Sunday afternoon, June 7, 2020.

She was born April 6, 1931 in Waukesha County, daughter of the late Ralph and Cecelia (Graf) Heaton. Rita attended school in Hales Corners and was raised in the Catholic faith. She worked in a dress factory and candy factory in Milwaukee before moving to Antigo in 1952, where she began raising her family. After her children were in school, Rita worked in house cleaning and laundry at Superior Nursing Home. When she moved to Schofield in 1983, she worked in the laundry facilities at Marywood Convalescent Center and Wausau Manor. Later, Rita worked as a book mender for the Wausau Public Library. She loved sewing and gardening. Rita was an excellent cook and baker, leaving no one at the table feeling hungry. She was a proud mom to her four children, who she enjoyed raising and taking care of. She was very close to her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters, and her in-laws.

Rita’s memory will live on in the hearts of her children, Rebecca (Joseph) Schedlbauer of Edgar, Susan (Frank) Dart of Maribel, Laura Slaker of Wausau, and Robert Dickman of Sturgeon Bay; grandchildren, Corey Schedlbauer, Cassandra (Daniel) Meyer, Timothy Dart, Tiffany Dart, Kimberly Dart, Theodore (Miriam) Kopec, Leah Place, and Benjamin Jahnke; great-grandchildren, Damian Kopec (fiancée, Chloe Mendez), Tyler Kopec, Braxton Meyer, Delaina Meyer, Cadence Meyer, Serenity Scott, and James Urick; sisters, Dolores (Robert) Kopplin and Anne (Daniel) Bembenek; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Eleanor Dickman, Dennis (Barbara) Dickman, Carroll (Arlene) Dickman, and Julia (Brian) Paradis; and many nieces and nephews.

Rita was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Cecelia Heaton; sisters, Theresa (James) Anderson, Monica (Daniel) Hughes, Patricia (Raymond) Sheldon, and Barbara Heaton; brothers-in-law, Gordon Dickman and Reinold (Angie) Dickman; and previous husbands, Wallace Dickman and Lawrence Bloedel.

Due to COVID-19 and the injuries Susan and Robert sustained in the accident, a memorial will be held at a date and location to be announced.

Huehns Funeral Home, Inc. & Door County Crematory LLC of Sturgeon Bay are assisting Rita’s family. Expressions of sympathy, memories, and photos may be shared with her family through her tribute page at www.huehnsfuneralhome.com.