Rita June Grantham

Rita was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph Newton Owens and Maycel Irene Owens, and her husband of 43 years, Michael David Grantham Sr. She leaves behind their son, Michael David Grantham Jr., also known as "Big Dog" or, at times, "Little Mike." Rita was a loving, caring wife, mother, aunt, cousin, and friend. She was devoted to her Lord and Savior, her husband, and her son.

Rita was a direct descendant of Martin Parmer, a frontier legend, legislator, and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Yes, Rita was a big deal, and you knew it the absolute minute you met her. In her 80 years of life, she accomplished many notable things, including participating in the opening of the world-famous Astrodome as one of its stylish "Spacettes." As special and unique as that was, no one can deny that she achieved far greater things afterward. In fact, we can all agree that her greatest accomplishment was raising Mike Jr. to be the amazing Christian man he is today. She truly hit it out of the park on that one.

Rita graduated from Galena Park High School in 1964. She went on to serve as an attendance specialist at Woodland Hills Elementary and Kingwood Middle School in the Humble Independent School District for more than 40 years. Rita was adventurous and traveled throughout the United States and the world, sharing her sense of humor with her travel companions and with everyone she met along the way — because Rita never met a stranger.

Of all her God-given gifts, hospitality is what she will be most remembered for. Whatever the occasion, Rita was all in. She helped plan, she decorated, she shopped, she shopped — and she shopped some more! Weddings, school events and fundraisers, family reunions, and birthday parties — Rita put her special touch on everything, including our hearts. She made us all feel special.

Rita loved flowers and decorating the house for every single holiday, and you could count on her to dress to the nines to spread holiday cheer wherever she went. She loved Pokeno nights with friends, watching the Hallmark Channel, Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote, and Dancing with the Stars.

Rita was loved by numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. Pretty much anyone who met Rita loved Rita. In her final years, as she needed a little extra help here and there, four special people deserve to be thanked and remembered: Charlotte Geno, Debbie Freeman, Shelly Howell, and, of course, her pride and joy, Mike Grantham Jr.