Rita Mae (Grout) Wenger

Rita Mae (Grout) Wenger was born to Earl and Dorothea Grout on April 29, 1946 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa. She passed away peacefully at her home the afternoon of June 11, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of love and compassion that will forever inspire those who knew her. Local graveside services will be held Friday, June 26, 2026, at 10 AM at the Sharon Hill Cemetery in Kalona. The family will greet friends on Thursday, June 25, 2026, from 6 – 8 PM at the Peterseim Funeral Home in Kalona.

Rita grew up in Iowa and attended Mid-Prairie High School. She continued her education at Iowa Wesleyan in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. She married John Wenger on December 16, 1974, and together they celebrated 51 years of marriage, a true testament to their enduring love and commitment.

Rita was a member of the Eastern Star. She was a faithful Christian and enjoyed being an active member of the church. She dedicated her life to education and loved working with her students. She had a passion for teaching students with special needs and took great pride in helping them achieve their goals. Their successes, both large and small, brought her great joy and reflected her compassion, patience, and dedication as a teacher.

Rita enjoyed life to the fullest. She loved to travel whether by land, sea or air. She was able to visit 49 states and some Caribbean islands. She enjoyed watching NASCAR, dirt track racing, and football (especially Iowa State Cyclones). She enjoyed listening to music and her favorite singer was Elvis. She enjoyed gardening and planting flowers. Rita especially loved animals. She grew up around farms and ended up living on a small farm. Her son Nick and his wife Kim, expanded the farm adding additional animals. Rita absolutely loved to watch all the babies run and play on the farm in the springtime.

Rita was preceded in death by her parents Earl and Dorothea Grout, brother Russell Grout and her infant daughter Victoria Wenger. She is survived by her husband John Wenger (Sarcoxie), son Nick Wenger and wife Kimberly (Sarcoxie) and daughter Jillian Wenger (Joplin). She is also survived by her three bonus children David Wenger (Missouri), Denise Goodwin (Iowa) and Danielle Stuart (Missouri), as well as 10 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Rita's life was a shining example of kindness, compassion, generosity, and she will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her radiant smile and selfless heart will forever be etched in our memories, inspiring us to live our lives with the same love, kindness, and joy that she embodied.