Rita A. Gress, 89, Ireland

June 10, 2020

Rita A. Gress, 89, of Ireland, passed away at 9:17 a.m. on Wednesday, June 10, 2020, at home.

Rita was born in Jasper on September 11, 1930, to Albert and Frances (Hauser) Fehribach. She married Lee A. Gress on April 22, 1950, in St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jasper, Indiana. He preceded her in death on July 19, 2015.

She was a homemaker and lifetime farmer.

She was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Ireland, where she was in the St. Ann’s Society, a Leader of the Holy Spirit Prayer Group, and the Long-Term Planning Committee, and she was also on the Diocesan Council of Catholic Women and a past member of the PTA and the CFM, and was a 4-H Leader.

She enjoyed gardening, canning, cooking, sewing, and was an avid church member, enjoying Bible studies, as she lead many of them, and praying the rosary.

Surviving are five daughters, Carla (David) Allbright, Becky (Dwain) Allbright, both of Mitchell, Linda (Gregory) Huls, Littleton, Colorado, Marg (Steve) Buechler, Ireland, and Mary (David) Waninger, Chrisney; five sons, Duane (Diane) Gress, Ireland, Bob (Teresa) Gress, Huntingburg, Pat (Cindy) Gress, Ireland, Stan (Julie) Gress, Ireland, and Greg Gress, Denver, Colorado; 33 grandchildren; 47 great grandchildren; three sisters, Jean Eck, Jasper, Delores Johnson, Swiz City, and Patsy Dunkel, Jasper; and four brothers, John Fehribach, Melbourne, Florida, Joe (Sandra) Fehribach and Tom (Carole) Fehribach, both of Jasper, and Jim Fehribach, Haysville.

Preceding her in death besides her husband are two sisters, Lucille Crockett, and Rosie Hopf; one brother, Karl Fehribach;and a sister, Viola Fehribach, who died in infancy.

Private funeral services for Rita A. Gress will be held at the Becher-Kluesner Downtown Chapel in Jasper. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at a later date at St. Mary Catholic Church in Ireland, with burial in the church cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary Catholic Church Building Fund or to a favorite charity.

Online condolences may be made at www.becherkluesner.com.