Rita Clare Perry

Rita Clare Perry (Kaefring)

Wednesday, August 19, 1931 to Sunday, September 6, 2026.

We all have a story of life with a beginning, a middle and then eventually an ending. The story of one's life is a lengthy journey from birth, childhood to parent, to old age and then death. A gravestone has two dates and sometimes a dash. So much between those two dates. Yet just the dates and maybe the dash are etched on the stone. So many details and so little space to etch them, in Rita's case a total of 95 years or 34,698 days to account for.

So let me split a beer with you while some of the details of life between the two dates, the 34,698 days, the story of Rita Perry, the important events that were about her life are revealed. A women born on the plains of Iowa in 1931 to a farming family. The beginning of the Great Depression. Her mother Gertrude died of complications shortly after her birth. Her father Fern enlisted help from Gertrude's sister, Mary and her husband Joseph to raise her in Iowa City away from the farm life. A city girl with a farm life heritage. She became part of a blended family that included sisters Iona, Marian, Katherine, Mary Catherine, and brothers Cletus, Henry, Ivan, Joe, and Paul.

In 1948 she graduated from St Mary's Catholic School where she was a cheerleader, then college bound for the University of Iowa. She worked at the local drugstore Pearson's, serving milkshakes, ice cream and coffee where Murvin (Murv) and she met. As Murv liked to get coffee they met over a cup of coffee she served him in the drugstore.

In 1952 she graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in physical education and then married Murvin Perry from Bruce, South Dakota. Over the next 12 years she bore 5 children, Gail, Mark, Scott, Todd and Chris. With her love, guidance and parentage they each became successful productive members of society. From these children came five grandchildren Rebecca, Heather, Kent, Brock and Kristen and one great grandchild Araceli.

Her great contribution is her kids and grandkids where Gail became a labor and delivery nurse, Mark a computer programmer, Scott a data analyst, Todd a master control operator, and Chris an actuary. Her grandkids Rebecca and Heather became veterinarians, Kent a navy petty officer 2nd class defending our country, Kristen on path be an occupational therapist and Brock on path to be a financial analyst. Over the years she added daughter-in-laws and significant others Heidi, Patty, Sarah and Hadley to her family.

She championed the right to life of the unborn, volunteering many hours with Birthright. Devoting time and prayers to the unborn. She had her faith and deeply held beliefs in the Catholic church and was a member of Saint Mary's Catholic church in Johnson City.

Over the years she moved from Iowa City with her husband Murv to Washington DC, Manhattan, Kansas, Kent, Ohio and lived the last half of her years in Johnson City, Tennessee. A few trips to live out the winter in Tampa, Florida as a snowbird. Traveled to Russia during the cold war.

She can claim she camped in a tent, a popup camper and a full-size towable camper, on various campsites usually near a lake or at a KOA. Traveled out west to see the western states. Later in life she enjoyed sunny days on her pontoon boat.

She was an avid tennis player, a bridge player and a Scrabble wordsmith. She could waterski, drive a boat, and at times just hang out on the water. And finally, if you knew Rita you knew coupons. She once had enough coupons that the grocery store had to pay her.

One of her more famous sayings was she could from time to time be heard to say she would split a beer or other food item with you.

The Perry family will receive friends for Visitation from 12:00-1:00 pm Saturday, September 12, 2026, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. A Mass will follow at 1:00 pm Saturday, September 12, 2026, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church. She will be interned with Murv at the Veteran's Administration cemetery at Mountain Home in Johnson City on Monday September 14, 2026 at 10:00 AM.

Goodbye Rita, we love you. The world is a better place because of you and we will miss you.

Memories and condolences may be shared via www.morrisbaker.com

Morris-Baker Funeral Home, 2001 E Oakland Ave, Johnson City, is honored to serve the Perry family. (423) 282-1521