Rita Lorraine (Simonis) Carew, age 86 of Manawa on Thursday, August 3, 2017 has joined her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and her beloved Donald. She celebrated her victory over Alzheimer’s Disease with her beautiful and much-loved smile exclaiming, “Yay, I’m dancing the Flying Dutchman with Donald!”
Rita was an adoring, loving, faith-filled, strong and gentle wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and dear, dear friend. She was born June 16, 1931 in the Town of Rosholt, the daughter of the late Theresa (Dulak) and Jerome Simonis. Rita moved with her parents to Iola in 1942 and to Manawa in 1947. She was active in the Altar Society, serving as secretary for four years. Rita worked at St. Nazianz and Aluminum Goods in Manitowoc, and FSA in Stevens Point. Later the city girl became a great farmer, with her husband and family, slinging bales of hay and driving tractor with the best of them.
Rita was united in marriage to Don Carew on Oct 19, 1953. They were blessed with six children: Dave (Jennifer) Carew of Green Bay, Salli (Brian) Bunno of Appleton, Mary (Brian) Whitemarsh of Hudson, Ruth (Dan) Boerst of Manawa, Joan (Tim) Sweet of Brookfield and Sandy (Robin) Dunnihoo of Manawa. She is a further survived by 21 grandchildren: Veronica, Robert, Sabrina and Lorelei Carew. Jenna (Matt) Treder, Josh, Jake, Michael, and Nicole Bunno. Chris, Brian II (Katie) and Matt Whitemarsh. Sarah (Grady) Auer, Dustin (Michelle), and Adam Boerst (Katie Dexter). Caity, Alyx and Nate Sweet. Danielle (Dan) Kundinger, Jeremy (Jenna), and Kassie Dunnihoo; 13 great-grandchildren: Weston and Finley Boerst, Leighton and Cashton Dunnihoo, Griffin, Emery and Macy Auer, Sawyer and Tucker Kundinger, Evelynn and Isabella Treder, and Brian III and Lucy Whitemarsh. She is further survived by a brother-in-law Gordon and nephews: Tom, Jim, Bill, Pat and Paul Carew and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents; in-laws, Edward and Julia Carew; brothers-in-law, John and Mike Carew; sisters-in-law, Virginia Carew, Rebecca Carew, Barbara Carew and Millie Carew; grandsons, Nicholas Bunno, Zachary Sweet, infant grandchildren, and nephew, John Carew.
Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, August 7, 2017 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Manawa with Father Xavier Santiago presiding. A visitation for Rita will be held on Sunday, August 6, at Cline Hanson Dahlke Funeral Home in Manawa from 6-8 p.m., and again at the church on Monday at 10 a.m. until the time of the service. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. The Cline-Hanson-Dahlke Funeral Home in Manawa is serving the family. www.clinehansondahlkefuneralhomes.com
A special thanks to staff and friends at Brookdale of Appleton, Compassus Hospice, and St. Joseph’s Residence of New London and Father Norm Krutzik. The family encourages your support of The Alzheimer’s Association with the hope this pain and suffering ends soon.