Rita A. Hammerel, 82, Rice

June 9, 1932 - January 3, 2015

Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 10, 2015 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Rice for Rita A. Hammerel, 82, of Rice who passed away peacefully on Saturday at her home. Rev. Thomas Becker will officiate and burial will be in the parish cemetery at a later date. Friends and relatives may call from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Friday evening at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Rice and one hour prior to services on Saturday, also at the church. Parish prayers will be at 5:30 p.m. on Friday evening. Arrangements are entrusted to Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home, Sauk Rapids.

Rita was born on June 9, 1932 in St. Wendel to John A. and Anna E. (Sobania) Beam. She was united in marriage to Lloyd Hammerel on January 20, 1951 at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Royalton. Rita was a homemaker and also worked as a nursing assistant at St. Raphael’s. She was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Rice, where she volunteered her time as a church greeter and helped with funeral lunches. Rita was also a member of Rice Women of Today and was a Fire Warden for 15 years. She enjoyed traveling, baking, sewing, knitting, flower gardening and crocheting. Rita was caring, loving and had many friends. She wanted to be remembered as a wonderful wife, mom, grandma, great grandma, “g.g.” and friend.

Rita is survived by her son and daughters, Donald of Rice, Cynde Lou Hammerel of Sauk Rapids, Anita (Jim) Peitz of Sauk Rapids, Bonnie (Gordon Jr.) Ring of Rockville and Terri Hammerel Conser of Rice; sisters and brother, Helen (Ernie) Thompson of Sauk Rapids, Alma Novitzki of Sauk Rapids and Roman (Kathy) Beam of Royalton; sister-in-law, Carol Beam of St. Stephen; six grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Lloyd on April 12, 2008; infant siblings, Joseph, Mary Ann and John Beam; brother, Aloys Beam and sister, Rosalie Beam.