Rita Rutherfurd Nowak

Rita Rutherfurd Nowak age 98 died Friday, November 21, 2025. Rita was born in St. Louis, Missouri and lived in Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, and Vero Beach, Florida before moving to Indianapolis in 2010. She was a member of St. Monica’s Catholic Church. She was a former member of St. Helen’s Catholic Church and Prayer Group in Vero Beach and a Eucharistic Minister for 30 years. Rita was known for her devotion to the Blessed Mother and prayed several rosaries a day.

She is survived by her daughters, Meg (Dan) of Carmel and Teri (Jo Anne) of Lexington, KY; sons, Tim of Cleveland OH, Scott (Julie) of Indianapolis, and Dan (Margaret) of Houston, TX, and daughter-in-law, Liz of Cleveland. She was the grandmother of 14, great-grandmother of 16, and great great-grandmother of 1.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Bill, son Tom, grandson, James, daughters-in-law and partner, Pam, Marsha, and Carol, her parents, and all 4 of her siblings.

A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Monica’s on Monday, December 15, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. The family will receive friends and family an hour prior to the Mass. Burial will be in Park Lawn Cemetery in St. Louis, MO.

The family would like to thank the caring staff members at Transitions Hospice and Robin Run Assisted Living.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Monica’s Catholic church.