Search
-
Rita Strohmeyer, mother of Mother Theodora Strohmeyer, hegoumena of Christ the Bridegroom Monastery, died this past winter at the age of 85.
Rita was born May 31, 1932, in Bazetta Township, Ohio, the daughter of John and Anna (nee Rohr) Ramsey. She died Jan. 13, at Hospice House in Poland, Ohio.
Rita married Regis W. Strohmeyer Sr., June 30, 1951. Her life devoted to God was tenderly poured out on her husband of 64 years and their 11 children, whom they raised in Niles, Ohio. Rita was a woman of great patience and understanding. Though her patience was tested as her family increased in number and age, especially while nurturing all of them in a three-bedroom house with one bathroom, her sense of humor and joy was contagious, and remained with her through her struggle with dementia.
Her loving and peaceful disposition made her approachable and attracted strangers to engage in enjoyable exchanges, especially during her many years of employment at Macali’s Giant Eagle in Niles. She was generous in showing affection. In addition to lovingly rearing her children, she cared for many other children, who would not want to leave when it was time to go. Even when dementia diminished her speech to a few words, they were “the boys and the girls,” or “the little ones.”
She always put her family first before her own needs. She suffered with her children in their sicknesses, growing pains and struggles in faith.
Along with her husband, Rita made sure her children faithfully went to church and, as a family, prayed the rosary every night. Her strength and tenderness sprang from her intimate union with God and through her devotion to the Mother of God, whose tender love she emulated. She was not afraid to express her faith, much more in deed than in word. Rita was, indeed, “far more precious than jewels” and excellently surpassed all women (Prov 31:3,29).
She was preceded in death by her husband, her daughter, Charmaine Harvey, her son-in-law John Montis, and her brothers John Ramsey II and Richard Ramsey.
Her funeral was held at St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church in Youngstown, Ohio, Jan. 19. She is buried next to her husband at St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Cemetery in Youngstown.
May God grant his servant Rita blessed repose and eternal memory.
Caption: Rita Strohmeyer (1932-2018) is pictured with her husband, Regis (d. 2016) (Photo courtesy of the Strohmeyer Family)
As published in Horizons, March 25, 2018.
Sign up for the e-newsletter.
