Rita Schmidt Obituary

Rita A. Schmidt

Rita A. Schmidt, 75, of Findlay, passed away Wednesday, May 30, 2024, at Bridge Hospice Care Center in Findlay. She was born in Barberton, July 30, 1948, to the late Richard and Edith (Schroer) Maurer. She married her husband, Don K. Schmidt, June 13, 1970, and he preceded her in death August 8, 2017.

Rita is survived by her three children, Mark (Anna) Schmidt of Cincinnati, Chris (Maggie) Schmidt of Columbus, and Faith (Travis) Gingerich of Bluffton; ten grandchildren, Maeve, Liesel and Maribel Schmidt, Ethan, Caroline, Hannah, and Levi Schmidt, and Titus, Ian and Jace Gingerich; her brother, Paul (Shirley) Maurer; and her sister-in-law, Sara Maurer. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brother, Don Maurer.

Rita grew up in New Knoxville and graduated from New Knoxville High School in 1966. She graduated from Bowling Green State University with a bachelor of education degree and later from University of Findlay with a master's degree in education. She taught at Liberty Benton and Vanlue Local Schools and spent the majority of her career teaching special education for Findlay City Schools.

Rita's passion for teaching was manifested in her love of teaching children about Jesus. She was a member of Findlay First Church of the Nazarene, where she taught children's Sunday school. She was a longtime volunteer and board member of Child Evangelism Fellowship of West Central Ohio and also a member and leader of Bible Study Fellowship. In her freetime, she enjoyed gardening, sewing, cooking, and lived a devoted life of service to her family that she loved and her friends that she held so dear.

Visitation for Rita will be 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Monday, June 3, 2024, at Kirkpatrick-Behnke Funeral Home, 500 Lima Avenue, Findlay, Ohio, 45840. Additional visitation will be Tuesday, June 4, 2024, from 10 a.m., until the time of her funeral at 11 a.m. at Findlay First Church of the Nazarene, 2501 Broad Avenue, Findlay, Ohio. Burial will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery.

Donations in her memory may be shared with Bible Study Fellowship at bsfinternational.org, or Child Evangelism Fellowship at cefonline.com.

Online condolences may be shared with her family at kirkpatrickbehnke.com.