Rita Walker

Rita Mary Walker August 4, 1943 – March 22, 2022

Rita M. Walker was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend.  She passed away peacefully at the age of 78, on March 22, 2022 at Evergreen Community of Johnson County in Olathe, KS.

Rita was born to William and Lucille Kilbride on August 4, 1943 in Kankakee, Illinois.  She met her husband, John, while she was in nursing school and was happily married for 55 years before he passed away in March 2021.  Together they had 3 children: Lisa, Michael and Debbie.  Rita moved with her family to Elkhart, Indiana in 1972 and worked as a post-partum/labor/delivery Registered Nurse for most of her career at Elkhart General Hospital.  She and John moved to the Kansas City area in 2017 to be close to their daughters and grandchildren.

Rita loved her family, especially the kids, and she always loved a good party and good food.  She also loved to travel, with favorite trips being an Alaskan Cruise and a trip to Ireland to kiss the Blarney Stone.  She is remembered for her big, infectious laugh.  She loved music and dancing, and she proudly displayed the trophy she won with John doing the Twist in their younger years.

Rita leaves daughters: Lisa (Mike) Cherepak and Debbie (Jason) Lehtinen; son: Michael (Laura) Walker; grandchildren: Cydney, Justin, Caz, Bradley, Elise, Olivia and Lydia.

Burial will be at 12:30 pm at Leavenworth National Cemetery.

In lieu of Flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Alzheimer's Association or Evergreen Community of Johnson County .  See information below.