Rita Hammar

GOWRIE

Rita K. Hammar, 85, passed away Friday, June 13, 2025 at Grandview Health Care Center, Dayton.

Memorial service will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at Laufersweiler's Funeral Home, Gowrie with Pastor Kay Christie officiating. Burial will be in Gowrie Township Cemetery. A visitation will be 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at the funeral home.

She is survived by her husband Gary, daughter Kelly (Kevin) Black of Gowrie, son Chad of Waterloo, son Greg (Jan Shull) of Indianola, grandchildren Bart Black, Lindsey (Eric) Hjelle, Rebecca (Adam) Greiner, Stephanie (Tommy) Halligan, Anna (Sabian) Hammar-Tetreault-Smith, Isabelle (Brian Cespedes) Hammar, 11 great-grandchildren, siblings Terry Hendricks of Cedar Rapids, Linda Hanes of Boone, Vicky (Roger) Christensen of Spirit Lake.

She was preceded in death by her parents Wilbur and Katherine (Knapp) Hendricks and sister-in-law Geraldine Hendricks.

Rita Kay Hendricks was born July 19, 1939 in Rockwell City. She graduated from Lohrville High School in 1957. While Rita was waitressing in Lohrville at the Polka Dot Drive In, she met Gary Hammar. After just two weeks, the couple were engaged and on December 1, 1957 Rita and Gary were married. Rita then traveled overseas to Germany, where Gary was stationed in the Army. Germany was their home for two years. In their 67 years of marriage, they have made homes in Lohrville, Farnhamville, Slifer, and Gowrie.

Rita was a wonderful wife, mother, grandma, and great grandma. Her advice to us often seemed outdated or even down right silly. But when the modern ideas or cures weren't working her advice is exactly what we needed. We were always amazed. Grandma was better than Google.

Rita was known for her out of the blue hilarious one-liners. She always made us laugh. Even the staff at Grandview was subject to her humor.

Throughout Rita's life, she enjoyed sporting events, coffee and cocktail gatherings, card clubs, bowling, and golfing. Rita had been a member of T.T.T in Farnhamville.

Rita took great pride in being a homemaker her entire life. She will be greatly missed not only as a wife, mother, grandma, sister but also as a truly great friend.

Memorials may be left to the discretion of the family.