Rita Steidl, age 77, of Fingal, ND, died Sunday, November 28th at Mercy Hospital in Valley City.  A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 AM on Friday, December 3rd at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Fingal.  Visitation will be held from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM Thursday evening at the church in Fingal.  A prayer service will be held at 7:00 PM at the church Thursday evening. Burial will be in Holy Trinity Catholic Cemetery.

Rita was born to John and Marie (Windish) Gruman on December 23, 1943 in Valley City, ND.  She grew up on the family farm near Fingal, ND, graduating from Fingal High School in 1961.  She took a business course at Interstate Business in Fargo, ND, then worked for a time at Mercy Hospital and The Times Record.  Her best loved job was working at the Pizza Corner factory for 26 years, even though she had to leave for work at 4:00 AM.

On October 22, 1965, she married Don Steidl from Fingal and quickly settled into life on a dairy farm.  She loved the cows and milking them.  Besides that, she had a big garden and then in a few years, three children.  She loved to cook and bake and the coffee pot was always on.  Every chance she got, she would go shopping and eating with the “Out to Lunch Bunch.”  Rita was an active member and volunteer of Holy Trinity Catholic Church.  They will miss her special dressing at the fall dinners.  She doted on her grandchildren.

She is survived by her loving husband, Don; children, Larry (Ruby) of Fingal, ND and Susan (Charlie) Thompson of Carrington, ND; a sister, Jackie Monson of Valley City; a brother, Don Gruman of Oriska, ND; 11 grandchildren and a great grandchild.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a son, Danny.

Rita was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.  She had a smile for everyone and will be greatly missed, but she is HOME.