Sister Mary Rita Omlor, age 79 of the Sisters of St. Francis of Tiffin, Ohio, died at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at the St. Francis Home.
She was born to the late Aloysius and Eva Marie (Requette) Omlor in Fremont where they attended the former St. Joseph Parish.
Sister Mary Rita is survived by one sister, Mrs. Richard (Claire) Hampshire; two brothers, Vincent and Charles Omlor.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Dolores Norton and two brothers, Bernard and Gerald Omlor.
Sister Mary Rita served as an elementary teacher at St. Mary School, Edgerton; St. Joseph School, Fort Jennings; Holy Trinity School, Bucyrus; St. Bernard School, New Washington; and the former St. Vincent de Paul School, Toledo. She was teacher and principal at St. John the Evangelist School, Delphos; St. Boniface School, Oak Harbor; and St. John the Baptist School, Payne. When retiring from full time teaching, Sister Mary Rita remained in New Washington where she taught Religion and volunteered to work with students. She had a special love for teaching children.
When Sister Mary Rita returned to the motherhouse in Tiffin, she served the community as a minister of prayer and service until the time of her death. Sister Mary Rita served the St. Francis community along with her late aunt, Sister Leocadia Omlor and her cousin Sister Laurene Toeppe.
Sister Mary Rita delighted in writing poetry. Her poem entitled, “Love Is…” was published in Famous Poems of the Twentieth Century; and “Gazing” was published in the Anthology in Memoriam of Harriet Elizabeth Prescott Spofford. When asked how her ministry serves the Church, she responded, “The work that I do, extends into the lives of the children, parents, teachers and workers, and also the people of the parish. I try to be Christ to all those with whom I come in contact.”
Visitation will be from 2-8 p.m., Friday, March 5, 2010 and a Christian Wake Service will be held at 7 p.m. at St. Francis Convent Chapel, 200 St. Francis Ave. Tiffin.
The funeral Mass will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, March 6, 2010 at St. Francis Convent Chapel with the Rev. Robert Dendinger officiating. Burial will be immediately following in the St. Francis Convent Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the St. Francis Convent or to the St. Francis Home.