Rita Grace Merkle

Maria, Eddie, Grace, and Chase, I am so sorry for your loss. You all, as well as your dad and siblings are in my prayers. Love, Genevieve & David

I was so sad to hear of your mom’s passing. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.

Ang and Ed, I’m so sorry to hear of the loss of your beloved Mother. Prayers and hugs. Stephanie

So sorry to hear about your mom. I’m sure she is partying with my mom. Pat

So sorry for your loss. Doris Goodwin

A warm, fun-loving, and beautiful person has been lost in body, but not in mind or memory. Aunt Rita was uniquely loving and graceful. She was, and will remain, a gift to her family and friends.

Dear Merkle Family Words cannot describe how I felt and I will miss OUR RITA. She was a great mother in-law to me for 37 years. Here are some of my fondest memories of her that I hope helps us all to remember her: She was the life of the family and the party (especially if it was a game, trust me teaching her how to play the southern card game rook with my daddy was an adventure) She loved to ask questions and find out about things (like the time she ask my dad why do cows really lay down when her and Bill visited our family farm in Alabama, she thought it was because it was going to rain because that’s what they told her when she was a young girl riding in the car to the shore - Roy quickly told her it was simply because they were tired of standing) She loved to get me in trouble going to any Italian bakery and we went to one everywhere we ever lived (Stacey and Bill would just laugh at us because we always bought to much and she and I loved every minute of it) She was crazy about sports and became a fan of any team we have ever coached for (even if we were playing the Eagles) although I am glad that I wasn’t a hockey Coach, she might have not cheered for me as much because she loved the Flyers to much She actually loved my southern heritage and I would always get a laugh out of her when she’d ask me what was my nationality and I’d say I’m an American (Her favorite place we ever lived was New Orleans because she dreamed that she had lived there at one time on Bourbon Street in another life of course) Lastly She always treated me as one of her own and that was a big deal for me especially when I was a young coach at Temple and had no family living near me (Tuesday night spaghetti dinner was always the BEST). I’d give anything to be able to ask her one more time - Rita, have you got a tomato RITA you will ALWAYS BE in OUR families HEART and we will NEVER forget YOU! So get to HEVEAN and pick out OUR TEAM. Love Amos

Rita, I will miss you forever.. You were my Second Mom my whole life.. Rest In Forever Peace.. Love your 5th Daughter Linda

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.