Rita Ruth Preston Solberg

Born on April 23, 1946, in East Texas, Rita was the daughter of Benjamin Henry Preston and Nona Mae Preston. The values she learned growing up—hard work, integrity, kindness, and unwavering faith—became the foundation of a life marked by generosity, compassion, and sacrificial love.

Rita spent thirty years working at General Dynamics (now Lockheed Martin), where she built a respected career before retiring in her early fifties to pursue what she considered her greatest calling: investing in her family. While many dream of retirement as a season of leisure, Rita saw it as an opportunity to pour even more of herself into the people she loved.

Her love for Christ shaped every part of her life. She faithfully served at Mission Arlington, Arlington Charities, the Arlington Pregnancy Center, participated in mission trips to Mexico and Guatemala, sang in the church choir, and taught Sunday School alongside her beloved husband. She never sought recognition; she simply believed that loving Jesus meant loving people well.

Rita faithfully helped care for her granddaughters, rarely missing a school event, recital, concert, competition, or celebration. She and Alton created countless memories through annual "Nanny and Grandpa" adventures that became treasured family traditions. Whether exploring national parks, visiting Disney, cruising together, hiking mountains, or discovering new places, Rita believed the greatest gift she could give was her time. Every grandchild knew beyond any doubt that they were deeply loved.

Gifted with extraordinary creativity, Rita expressed her love through sewing, needlepoint, handmade gifts, beautifully decorated holidays, and handwritten notes tucked into unexpected places. She was an avid reader who delighted in sharing meaningful books, articles, magazine clippings, and words of encouragement. She possessed a wonderful sense of humor, an endless collection of East Texas sayings, and the rare ability to make people laugh even in life's hardest moments.

To her family, Rita was the heart of every holiday, every birthday, and countless ordinary days that she somehow made extraordinary. She believed family was life's greatest investment and lived accordingly. One of her favorite sayings was, "The measure of our love can be determined by our willingness to be inconvenienced." She didn't simply believe those words—she embodied them. Whether caring for family, serving a neighbor, volunteering in her community, or quietly meeting someone's need, she consistently chose people over convenience.

Above all else, Rita loved the Lord. Her faith was not merely something she professed—it was evident in the way she lived. She loved fiercely, served faithfully, gave generously, and left every person she encountered better than she found them. Her greatest desire was that those she loved would know Jesus and faithfully follow Him.

Rita is survived by her beloved husband of nearly sixty years, Alton Leroy Solberg; her devoted daughter and son-in-law, Alyson and Jeff Zabriskie; her cherished granddaughters, Alyssa Irene Zabriskie, Alayna Zabriskie Boe and husband Ethan, and Ashlea Mae Zabriskie; her precious great-granddaughters, Elizabeth Ruth Boe and Caroline Faith Boe; her brother and sister-in-law, Ben and Carolyn Preston; her niece, Cristi Whiddon and husband Mike; her nephew, Ben Preston; many of Alyson's lifelong friends, whom Rita loved as her own daughters; her treasured church family; dear neighbors; lifelong friends; and countless others whose lives were forever changed by her generosity, wisdom, encouragement, and steadfast love.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Benjamin Henry Preston and Nona Mae Preston; her parents-in-law, Johnny and Irene Solberg; her sister-in-law, Cynthia Solberg Cross; her nephew, Alan Cross; and her stepson, Philip Solberg.

The family will receive friends during a visitation on Wednesday, July 15, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. A Celebration of Rita's Life will be held on Thursday, July 16, at 10:00 a.m., both at Laurel Land Funeral Home in Fort Worth.

Rita often tucked handwritten notes into unexpected places for those she loved to discover long after she had written them. In many ways, her entire life became one of those notes—a quiet testimony that the greatest legacy is not found in accomplishments but in loving God wholeheartedly, loving your family sacrificially, and serving others faithfully.

Her fingerprints remain on the hearts of all who knew and loved her, and her legacy will continue for generations.

The family is deeply grateful for the overwhelming love, prayers, kindness, and support shown during this difficult time. They invite all who knew Rita to honor her legacy by loving Jesus deeply, investing in their families, serving others generously, and simply showing up for the people God places in their lives.