Rita was born in Berlin, Germany on July 24th in 1930. Fleeing the persecution of the Jewish population in Germany, her family narrowly escaped and immigrated to the United States in 1940. They lived in Indianapolis and then later moved to New York City.
She earned an undergraduate degree from Queens College in Queens, New York, and a Master of Social Work degree from Adelphi University in Garden City, New York. She worked for 17 years as a Social Worker at the Parker Jewish Geriatric Institute where she was a strong advocate for the rights and dignity of the terminally ill.
She was preceded by her parents Arthur and Johanna Lewin and her husband Felix. She is survived by her sons Jeffrey (Nancy) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Andrew of Queens, New York and grandchildren Jordan of Columbus, Ohio and Kaila (fiancé Blake) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
