Rita Joan Bible

Rita Bible passed away Wednesday, August 5, 2020 at Lakeside Health & Rehab in Pine City at the age of 87.

Rita Joan Bible was born July 26, 1933 to Francis and Mary (Behrendt) Bible in Hinckley Township, Pine County.  Rita was the seventh of twelve children and lived in Hinckley until 1940 when the family moved east of Pine City. 

As a young girl she attended District 77 country school and then the Pine City High School.  As a high school senior Rita was employed part-time with the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company in Pine City.  In 1951, she graduated from Pine City High School and continued at the telephone company as a full-time employee.  Her career with the telephone company lasted 38 years and she traveled all around Minnesota during those years.  She lived and worked in Wadena, Duluth, Grand Rapids, Brainerd, Crookston, Minneapolis and Montevideo.  Her brother LeRoy always said “she was ringing the most out of it."

In 1991, upon retiring, Rita returned to Pine City and purchased a large home on 8^th Street.  When asked why she would need such a large home, she responded “I have so much furniture; a smaller home wouldn’t accommodate all of it”.  However, her extended family thought the large home was to accommodate her large family; siblings and their spouses, numerous nieces and nephews and their spouses, great nieces and nephews and even some great greats out in Oregon.  Rita always welcomed everyone and was a fabulous hostess to the famous Bible pot-luck spreads where no one went home hungry.  She was an integral part of family Christmas celebrations.  Rita had a tremendous knack for keeping the little children entertained; she bought gifts for all of her nieces and nephews until they reached their teen years.   Her gifts were special and unique for each.  One of the highlights for the little kids was visiting Auntie Rita while she worked at the Pine County Fair Needlepoint Exhibit Building.

Rita loved to travel; over the past years some of her travel companions included her sisters and nieces.  She traveled throughout the United States and made a very memorable trip to visit her nephew in Australia with sisters Millie and Verna. 

For Rita, volunteering was a source of pride; she was a role model for her entire family.  Rita was selfless and provided countless hours of patient, caring and loving visits to her extended family.  She provided AARP Driver’s Training for 16 years; served as the VFW Auxiliary Treasure for 20+ years, served on many church committees and provided communion for shut-ins.  Rita was named the 2005 Pine City Citizen of the Year and also the 2009 Outstanding Senior Volunteer of the Year. 

Rita is survived by her sisters Verna Carlson, Marian (Jim) Schoeberl; brother LeRoy (Marlene) Bible; sister-in-law Margaret Bible; many, many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents Frank and Mary Bible; brothers Francis “Bud” (Adeline) Bible, John (Avis) Bible, Robert (Betty) Bible, Donald Bible, Kenneth (Pauline) Bible, sisters Shirley (Don) Elfstrum, Mildred (Fred) Baker, Lucille (Leo) Skluzacek; brother-in-law Harvey Carlson.

Monsignor Aleksander Suchan will celebrate at a Mass of Christian Burial for Rita: 10:30 AM; Tuesday, August 11, 2020 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Pine City.  A time of visitation and reviewal is planned from 5-8 PM Monday, August 10, 2020 with a prayer service at 7:30 PM at the Swanson Funeral Chapel in Pine City and also one hour prior to the Mass at St. Anthony Commons in the church.  The interment will take place at Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Pine City.

Memorials in Rita's memory may be directed to the donor's choice.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to:  Funeral and Cremation Service of Pine City, Swanson Chapel.
www.FuneralAndCremationService.com