Rita Cheryl Winfrey, 67, died Tuesday, at her home in Pleasant Hill, Missouri.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday at 2 p.m., at Sweeney-Phillips & Holdren Funeral Home with Pastor David Beaver officiating. Interment will follow in Sunset Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers will be James Vincent, Eric Wilbers, Adam O’Riley, Jacob O’Riley, Zin Khant, and Tony Brown.
The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until service time on Saturday at the funeral home.
Rita was born on November 26, 1951, in Holden, Missouri, the daughter of Helmer Poe and Florence (Hogue) Poe. She was a graduate of Sherwood High School in the class of 1970. On May 19, 1973, in Kansas City, Missouri, she married Larry Dean Winfrey – to this union were born three daughters.
Rita was a proud homemaker and loving wife, mother, and grandmother. She enjoyed painting, playing piano, crocheting, knitting, and quilting. Family gatherings were very important to her, and she was delighted to be the event photographer. She was very interested in genealogy, and she could connect her ancestry to Edgar Allen Poe (he and Rita were 12th cousins). She had the opportunity to go on five cruises throughout her life, with the trip to a private island called Half Moon Cave being her very favorite. She was so kind, fun-loving, and had a heart of gold.
Rita is survived by her husband of nearly 46 years, Larry, of the home; three daughters: Kimberly Vincent (husband James), of Pleasant Hill, Lisa Diehl, of Independence, Missouri, and Rachel Wilbers (husband Eric) of Butler, Missouri; grandchildren, Gabriel Vincent, Emma Vincent, Alexandra Khant (husband Zin), Shanda Miller, Isaiah Miller, Kaylee Wilbers, Erica Wilbers, and Baby Wilbers due in October; five siblings: Denise Ribers, Dennis Poe, James Poe, Gary Poe, and Patricia O’Riley; numerous nieces and nephews, and her beloved Luigi, her Chihuahua/Shih Tzu mix who is so ugly he’s cute.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Helmer and Florence Poe; and four siblings: Floyd Poe, Wayne Poe, Robert Poe, and Barbara Donner.
Contributions may be made to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation and checks can be left in care of the funeral home.
