Rita Fred

On February 22, 1931 in Dickinson, North Dakota, Gervase and Agnes (Weber) Manning, announced the birth of their daughter Rita Evelyn. The fourth of six children, Rita grew up living in the town of Dickinson, with Catherine, Jean, Pat, Dan and Bill. She graduated in 1949 from Dickinson High School. After high school, Rita started attending Carroll College in Helena, Montana. Her education was put on hold for a time in order to care for her mother who was ill. In 1954, Rita was able to finish college, earning a Nursing degree and passed her boards shortly thereafter. These skills came to light as she cared for her parents in their final years. Her nursing career started out in Public Health in Dickinson. She took a leave to raise her children and in the early 1980’s went back to the hospital working in the Adult and Drug Rehabilitation department. Rita retired in the 1990’s. Out with friends, Rita met a man named Howard Fred. Rita, at the age of 26, exchanged wedding vows with Howard on November 17, 1956 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Dickinson. Living in a starter home called the “cracker box”, they later bought her parents home. Here Rita and Howard called this home for the next several decades. They welcomed six children into the world, Rae, Colin, Reva, Jon, Roberta and Paula. Family was always important to Rita and Howard. To created everlasting memories, Howard built a camper out of a school bus, painted lime green. This camper was driven throughout the United States and Canada, as the family camped, fished, and enjoyed the sights around them. Rita’s biggest passion in later life was her grandchildren. She relished being called “Gran” and enjoyed every minute spent with them. In her spare time, Rita loved to play cards with a small group of ladies. She enjoyed going out to eat with friends and having the neighbors over for coffee. In her later years, Rita traveled to Egypt to visit her sister, Jean, which became one of the biggest highlights of her life. She spent weeks visiting her children throughout the United States and seeing the area attractions. An excellent cook and baker, the family especially enjoyed her blueberry, peach, and apple pies that filled the freezers each fall. Rita’s other specialties were the Thanksgiving dinner, caramel rolls, backed beans, potato salad, cheese/peas/macaroni salad and cucumber salad. Annual family chokecherry picking trips always resulted in Rita’s buttermilk pancakes being topped with her fantastic homemade sauce. On September 9, 1999, Rita’s world changed with the passing of Howard, leaving her unable to live by herself. In 2000, Rita moved to the Rivers independent living community in Burnsville. In 2007, she was diagnosed with Dementia and moved to Keystone Communities assisted living in Prior Lake. In 2008, after having knee replacement surgery, Rita took residency at Ebenezer Ridges Care Center in Burnsville. A generous, caring, strong, but yet humbled wife, mother and grandmother. Rita was a devoted Catholic, with a wonderful sense of humor and enjoyed every ones company. Rita was 80 years young when she passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of Saturday, September 17, 2011 at Ebenezer Ridges Care Center in Burnsville, MN.


Rita will always be loved and forever missed by her children, Rae (Rick) Zapernick of Arizona, Colin (Darcie) Fred of Canada, Reva (Kendall) Moeller of Florida, Jon (Lisa) Fred of Washington DC, Roberta (Tom) Bezdicek of Minnesota, and Paula (Chris) Teiken of Minnesota; grandchildren Taylor, Jacob and Rachel Bezdicek, Jason Fred, Ben and Kayla Teiken; step-grandchildren, Kira Hamilton and Landon Moeller; brother, Dan (Ruth) Manning of Nebraska; sister Jean (Leo) St. Michel of Connecticut; other relatives and friends.


Rita is preceded in death by husband, Howard; parents, Gervase and Agnes Manning; siblings, Catherine Williams, Pat Tusler and Bill Manning.


The Funeral Mass will be on Friday October 21 at 1:00 p.m., with visitation starting at 11:30 a.m., all at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 229 Third Ave. W, Dickinson. ND. Rev. Todd Kreitinger will officiate. Rita will be laid to rest next to her husband and parents at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Dickinson, North Dakota at a private family gathering.


Rita’s urn bearers will be her sons, Colin and Jon.


Memorials are preferred and will be distributed in Rita’s memory by the family.


The Fred family is served with honor, care and compassion by Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, Prior Lake, MN Chapel www. ballardsunderfuneral. com and the Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson, North Dakota. www. stevensonfuneralhome. com


Burial Date: October 21, 2011
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND

Memorial Mass: Friday, October 21, 2011 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Dickinson, ND