Hanegraaf, Rita Mae

Other Events:

• Education - High School: 1949, Kimberly, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
• Obituary: 25 Nov 2008; Appleton Post Crescent

Notes:

Education - High School:
Kimberly High School Class of 1949

Obituary:
Foster, Rita Mae, On November 22, 2008, at the age of 77, the Lord saw that Rita could no longer endure her 12 year battle with Alzheimer's disease and called her home.
Rita was born December 5, 1930, in the home of her parents, Martin and Kate Hanegraaf, in Kimberly, WI. Kimberly remained her home along with six siblings until she graduated from Kimberly High School in 1949.
Rita married Ken Sorensen October 7, 1950, and left Kimberly to be with him at the Air Force base in Chicopee Falls, MA, where sons Claude and Mike were born. When Ken's tour was over they moved back to Neenah, WI where sons Jeff and Kevin were born. While in the process of building their first home, on August 4, 1955, Ken was taken from his wife, their four young sons and an unfinished home during the polio epidemic. Family and many friends pitched in to help finish the house. Rita raised her four boys alone until she met Ken Foster and they were married on May 4, 1957. Ken lovingly adopted the four boys. Together they added three more children, Jill, Steve, and Dan.
Over the years Rita enjoyed many hobbies. One of her greatest talents was sewing. With six boys and one girl she made all her daughter's dresses and also sewed many of the boy's shirts. She enjoyed knitting on her knitting machine and made beautiful scarves, sweaters and afghans. Each year she made hand crafted items and gave them as gifts. At Christmas we could always count on Rita to make peanut clusters, sea foam candy, fudge and fruitcake.
Ken and Rita enjoyed traveling in their motor home, snowmobiling and were avid boaters. They instilled the love of boating, swimming and water skiing in all of their children. Rita also worked part time at Schneider National Trucking in Neenah for eight years until Ken's retirement from the Neenah Police Department in 1987. They then made their home on Lake Winneconne. During retirement Rita and Ken enjoyed their winter home in Florida. Rita also kept active tap dancing with Reverend Ruge's group and would entertain others with their lively routines. One of her favorite pastimes was taking the bus and socializing to play Bingo.
Rita leaves behind her husband Ken, their children: Claude (Chris) Foster, Neenah; Mike (Katie) Foster, New London; Jeff Foster, Omro; Kevin (Peggy) Foster, Talkeetna, AK; Jill Appel, Menasha; Steve (Karen) Foster, Neenah; Dan (Amy) Foster, Neenah. She is further survived by 14 Grandchildren and five Great-Grandchildren. Along with her sisters: Bernadine (Deane) Schultz, Germaine (Gim) Nachel, Joan Frassetto, Mary Beth Van De Loo; brother, Francis (Bud) Hanegraaf (Betty) and sister in law, Jackie Spilski, along with many nieces and nephews.
Preceding her and waiting to greet her in heaven are her first husband Ken Sorensen, her parents, Martin & Kate Hanegraaf, her sister and brother in law Pauline (Pope) & Bob Giordana, brother in laws Bob Schultz, Bob Nachel, Francis (Fras) Frassetto, Jim Van De Loo, and Joe Spilski, her mother in law Marie Sorensen, and her father & mother in law Harry & Isabell Foster.
The family would like to extend our deep and heartfelt thanks for the support and loving care extended to Rita by hospice: especially Mary, Barbara, Rachel & Ellen, as well as Rhonda and the caregivers at Care Partners Assisted Living in Little Chute where Rita spent her final days.
A Celebratory Mass of Rita's life will be at St. Gabriel Catholic Church in Neenah, with Father Richard Allen officiating. Friends may call at the church on Friday, November 28th at 9 a.m. until the hour of service at 11 a.m. Burial will be at St. Margaret's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established for Affinity Visiting Nurses Hospice Program.
WESTGOR
FUNERAL HOME
205 W. Doty Avenue
Neenah 920-722-7151
Online Condolences:
www.westgorfuneralhomes.com

Rita married Sorensen, Kenneth 7 Oct 1950. Kenneth was born Bef 1932; died 4 Aug 1955, Neenah, Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA. [Group Sheet]

Rita married Foster, Kenneth C. 4 May 1957. Kenneth was born 30 Nov 1931, Neenah, Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA; died 15 Jun 2016, Winneconne, Winnebago, Wisconsin, USA. [Group Sheet]