Rita Webber Kimball

her side on October 17, 2020 at Olathe Medical Center, Olathe, Kansas. Rita had moved from

her home in El Paso, TX to Olathe due to declining health four years ago.

Rita was born June 28,1935 to Rena Ginanni Winters and Peter P. Winters (Sokolowski) in

Carlsbad, NM. She was baptized at St. Edwards’s Catholic Church. She lived in Carlsbad until she was 7 years old.

Her parents then divorced. After the divorce, her family moved to El Paso, TX where she lived

with her mother and stepfather (D.C. Ellison), and two sisters - Doris Louise Feld and Mary Alice

Allen. Rita attended St Joseph elementary school. She spent many summers in Carlsbad with her Uncle Cecil Ginanni and cousins Joe and Jeannie, as well as other family members. She attended Austin High School in El Paso where she excelled academically and was a cheerleader. While in high school, she met Barry Webber who introduced her to his older brother, James.

Love followed and Rita married James J Webber and graduated high school in 1953. James

Webber was an officer in the US Army. Rita fulfilled the duties of Army wife until James

retired. To their union - they were blessed with seven children during 14 years. In that time,

James was transferred to different duty stations, Colorado, Oklahoma, Germany, Kentucky,

Kansas to name a few - where mom could travel with him, and others - S Korea, Vietnam where

she could not. Along the way, Rita made a good home, mothering her children while enjoying

sewing, volunteering, gardening, and hiking. In 1967, James was assigned to the Military

Science Dept at PSU in Pittsburg, KS. He later retired from military service and the family

stayed in Pittsburg. After some of the children were grown, Rita took accounting courses at PSU and worked as a secretary at Van Becelaere’s Machine Shop - a job she loved. She was a member of St Mary’s Parish, the Newman Center, The Colgan Quarterback Club and the Pittsburg Learning Disabilities Association. Rita was an enthusiastic supporter of her sons’ Colgan Panthers football team and may be one of the first cowbell celebrities of Pittsburg.

In 1983, Rita and Jim with their youngest - JoAnn - returned to El Paso to be closer to aging family members. Rita enjoyed spending time with her mom and sisters. She was a loving aunt to Ricky and Cheryl (Doris) and Linda, Scott and Janice (Mary); and as time passed, to their children.

She became a VISTA Volunteer for the El Paso Council of the Texas Learning Disabilities

Association in 1986 and later became their executive director. As a member of the VISTA

program, Rita established a corps of volunteer educational advocates for children with

disabilities and presented many workshops and training sessions for parents and educators in the

El Paso area. She was one of the founding members of the Disabilities Symposium that began in 1989. She also managed the Charity Bingo fund raising activities for the Learning Disabilities Association. She resigned from LDA in 1996 and took a gentler job as a clerk at EPISD where she made many friends. She enjoyed being a member of the Scarlet O’Hatters, the Vegetarian Society of El Paso, the Republican Party, and St Raphael’s Parish. After working four years for the special education department, she retired to garden, hike, and travel.

Rita was married to James Webber for 37 years. They divorced. In 1992, she married C.

Thomas Kimball of El Paso in Las Cruces, NM. They were married for 19 years, until his death.

Rita, in addition to keeping a loving relationship with her children became a stepmom and step

grandma for Tom’s children. Until her death - and despite failing health - this remarkable

woman remembered each child, grandchild, great grandchild at Christmas and for birthdays.

In her own words - Rita’s proudest family moments were that she lived to see all her children grow into success and happy adulthood. Rita’s proudest career accomplishment was stimulating awareness of the special needs of children and adults with learning disabilities.

Mom continued to enjoy life as she could in Olathe. Enjoying nearby family, her dog Daisy, her cat Persey - as well as family that could visit. She made friends of neighbors, and home health and hospice workers from Olathe Health. She impressed her health care providers with her positive “can do” attitude. She was especially grateful for Home Instead - their care which allowed her to be in her home while her daughter worked. She developed a special friendship with one of her caregivers - Lois Bauer. Bringing sunshine to mom several times a week was Marissa Fillyaw, a nursing student, who helped mom with personal care needs. Her stories of young life lifted mom's spirits. She met Lupe Montoya who also helped in the home and became her Eucharistic minister - bringing Mom communion on Sundays.

Rita is survived by her seven children:

Vicki Webber (Olathe,KS), James J Webber, Jr - wife Sylvia (Colleyville, TX), Pamela Harden-

husband Kim (Fall Creek, WI), Paul Webber- wife Sofia (San Diego, CA), William Webber - wife

Andrea (Manassas, VA), Matthew Webber- wife Erika (King George, VA), JoAnn Ainsworth -

husband John (Carlsbad, NM)

Her four step-children:

Ed Kimball - wife Laura (Fremont, CA), Susan Kimball Eyler (Ponte Verdra Beach, FL), David

Kimball (El Paso, TX), Robert Kimball (Madison, AL)

Her 31 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren, and 1 great great grandchild:

Karissa and Blane Reeves (Jack)

Theresa and Wes Middleton (Ava and Rider)

Jimmy and Stacey Webber (Ezra and Everly)

Anthony Webber

Barbara Webber (Nathan)

Daniel Webber

David and Mallory Harden (Alexis, Jackson, Madelyn, Rowan)

Jill and Tom Hoelkinger (newlyweds- married on Rita’s beloved mother’s birthday October 10, 2020)

Melanie Harden (Evie)

Billy Webber (Dominic, Annaliese)

Melissa and Ray Gaskins (Michael, Rosalie, Jacen, Evan, and Kayleigh)

Matthew and Katie Webber (Landon, Henry, and Oliver)

Michael and Tiffany Webber (Mason and Emerson)

Adam and Julianne Olkowski

Meghan Webber and Nick Corn (Tiffany)

Connor and Nicki Webber (Madeline)

Brian Ainsworth

Michael Ainsworth (Nathan)

Jane Kimball

Zachary and Adela Kimball

Jennifer Deam (Kanisha - her daughter Ryenn, Virginia, Alexa)

Lisa Kruzicki (Angela, Kyle, Jude)

Autumn Eyler

Krystal Kimball Tiscareno (Shailene, Kaylee)

Robert Anthony Kimball (Catalina Kimball)

Jacqueline Kimball

David Brian Kimball

Jake Kimball

Ashleigh Kimball

Santana Madrid

She is also survived by her cousin Jeannie Ginanni Young, nephews Ricky Beisel and Scott

Allen, nieces Lynda Coppenbarger and Janice Portillo, grand niece Heather Shade, and grand

nephew Dallas Welsh. Mom leaves her beloved dog Daisy to mourn her as well.

Preceding her in death are her parents,sisters, husbands, grandson Ezekiel Orion Webber

(Paul Webber’s son), cousin Joe Ginanni, niece Cheryl Beisel, great niece Haley Welsh.

Mom loved gardening and especially enjoyed visiting the Overland Park Arboretum. A week

before her death we visited on a glorious fall day. She especially enjoyed the Monet Garden.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations in Rita’s memory towards a memorial bench at the Arboretum, contributions may be sent in care of the Kimball-Webber family to McGilley and Frye Funeral Home, 105 E Loula St., Olathe, KS 66061.

Family and friends will gather for a Rosary on Sunday, June 27 at 5:00 pm at McGilley and Frye Funeral Home. Memorial service will be held Monday, June 28, 2021 at 10:00am at St. Paul's Catholic Church, 21650 W 115th Ter., Olathe, KS 66061. Burial to follow at Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Overland Park, KS.

Due to the COVID pandemic, family and friends will gather for services tentatively on her birthday June 28, 2021.