Rita R. Flynn, age 77, of Coon Rapids passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2014 at Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids.
Mass of the Christian Burial was celebrated Saturday, Nov. 15, at 10:30 am at Annunciation Catholic Church in Coon Rapids with her great nephew Fr. Jeremy Wind celebrating. Casket bearers were Carolyn Rothschild, David Slate, Patricia Bunte, Pat O’Bryan, Deb Linquist, Ken Hettinger, Sharie Schurman, Beth Slaven and Todd Flynn. Burial was in the Union Township Cemetery near Coon Rapids.
Lector for the Mass was Sue Wind. Eucharistic minister was Marilyn Tilley. Gift bearers were Jane Whitlock and Rita O’Bryan. Music was by the Annunciation choir with Faye Seidl as organist, Nate Hettinger as soloist, and Eugene Potter as trumpeter. Mass servers were Abby and Sydney Koch. The family suggests memorials be made to Annunciation Catholic Church, the Coon Rapids Educational Foundation, or Trinity Heights in Sioux City.
Rita R. Flynn was born on June 14, 1937 in Le Mars, the daughter of John and Cecilia Ahmann Flynn. She grew up in the Le Mars and Sioux City areas. She earned her MA degree in 1974 from Loyola University in Chicago and her MAT in 1990 from Morningside College in Sioux City.
From 1957 to 1977 she taught regular education classes in the Catholic School system in Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Missouri. From 1977 to 1987 she worked for the now defunct K-Products of Orange City.
The motto, “To teach is to touch a life forever,” inspired Rita to return to teaching in 1987. At that time, she accepted a job as a special educator for the students in the Coon Rapids-Bayard school system. From 1987 to 1997 she taught the high school students who were struggling with reading, English and math. From 1997 to 2007 she worked with the junior high level students doing essentially the same thing. One of her greatest joys was observing former students now living productive lives.
Rita was a member of Annunciation Catholic Church, the Iowa State Education Society, the Retired Teachers of Iowa and the American Cancer Society. Her interests were reading, writing, swimming, traveling, working on genealogy, keeping up on Facebook, and spending time with family and friends.
Rita was preceded in death by her parents, John and Cecilia Ahmann Flynn of Sioux City; brother Robert (Shirley) Flynn of Pocahontas; sisters Mary Flynn Slate (William) of Waukee, Cecile Flynn Hare (Vernon) of Des Moines, Carol Flynn Hettinger (Wayne) of Atlantic, Darlene Flynn Jacobson (Robert) of Stuart, FL, and Norma Flynn Tague (Al) of Sioux City; and a brother-in-law William O’Bryan of Jefferson.
Surviving are her brothers James Flynn (Kathy) of Pleasant Hill andThomas Flynn (Tamara) of Spirit Lake; and her sister Kathleen Flynn O’Bryan of Jefferson.
