Barbola Funeral Chapel

Rita E. Beaman

Mrs. Rita Evelyn Weirtz Beaman was born April 1, 1933, in Akron, OH, the first of six children born to Mary Elizabeth Bonfield Weirtz and Paul Leo Weirtz. Rita died Thursday, May 26, 2022, at RidgeCrest Senior Living Center in Mount Airy, where she had resided for the prior seven years.

The Weirtz family were members of the church of the Annunciation (Visitation of Mary) Parish in Akron, OH, and the children attended the parish elementary school. Rita graduated from Saint Vincent High School. Rita practiced her faith as a lifelong Roman Catholic. Growing up, Rita worked in her family’s grocery store, and after graduation as a telephone operator. She enjoyed studying art, drawing and painting both as a young person and throughout her adult life, and was always the “go to artist” for school projects, including for her children’s schools. Rita met her husband-to-be, Richard Claire Beaman, in Akron, OH. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, he had been recently employed by Goodyear Atomic. They married on August 22, 1953. They started a family and by 1962 they had five children. Richard’s (“Dick”) work took the family around the United States and the world. They lived in several states, including Knoxville, TN, Topeka, KS, Beaumont, TX, Portsmouth and Akron, OH, and Cumberland, MD. Overseas, they lived in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg (where the youngest child, Danny, was born) and Sydney, Australia.

After living in Sydney for four years, Rita and Dick settled in Cumberland, MD, where they built their dream house on a three-acre mini-farm with a century old barn for their pony, “Tache,” and horse, “Sugar.” In Cumberland, Rita worked parttime in retail sales and daycare. She was involved in the League of Women voters and enjoyed taking classes at the community college. After all five children finished high school and when their youngest was in college, Rita and Dick were transferred to Wolverhampton, England, where they lived for three years. They returned to settle in North Canton, OH, near Rita’s family. In North Canton, Rita and Dick opened their home to their daughter, JoAnn, and her daughters, Tenley and Kylie. The girls brought much joy to their grandparents. During retirement, Rita and Dick took to the road in their Honey Bee camper, heading for Dick’s childhood home and family, the Wisconsin woods and lakes, and any other place they wanted to explore. As Dick’s health failed, Rita cared for him at home and oversaw his care when he was away from home. After he died, in 2006, she was able to carry on as a strong and independent woman until she developed her own health challenges.

In 2015, Rita moved to North Carolina to be closer to her daughter, Mary Beth. She resided at RidgeCrest Senior Living Center, where she stayed for seven years. For the past two years, she shared her apartment with her son, Brian, who has been a blessing. They kept each other company which was especially important during the COVID visiting and gathering restrictions. Rita received wonderful care and support from the staff of the RidgeCrest LiveLong WellCare program, allowing for her to be in her apartment for as long as she could safely do so. The staff of RidgeCrest, with the help of Mountain Valley Hospice and Palliative Care, went above and beyond to take care of her in a familiar environment. She died peacefully and comfortably.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Richard Claire Beaman; a daughter, JoAnn Beaman Cassidy; and three brothers, Peter Dennis Weirtz, Daniel A Weirtz, and Joseph M Weirtz. She is survived by her children, Mary Beth and Bert Wood, Richard C. and Erlinda Beaman, Brian Paul Beaman, and Daniel J. and Tina Beaman; her grandchildren, Jason Beaman, Jarod and Dena Wood, Anna and Dane DeHaan, Dr Lauren K. Wood and Scott Satterwhite, Tenley Cassidy and Rick Moser, and Kylie Cassidy; and her great-grandchildren, Nick, Bowie, Bert, Aurora, Joel, and Eli. She is also survived by a loving sister and friend, Beth Konkle; a considerate and generous brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Clara Weirtz; a brother-in-law, Bernard Beaman; a sister-in-law, Marie Beaman Drektrah; and many nieces and nephews on both sides. A sincere thank you to Rita’s son-in-law, Bert Wood, who has given of his time and energy with an open heart and home to support Mary Beth in caring for her mother and brother.

Mass of Christian Burial was held at Holy Angels Catholic Church in Mt. Airy, N.C. Inurnment will be in Oakwood Cemetery in Berlin. Barbola Funeral Chapel in Berlin is assisting the family with local arrangements. In memory of Rita, donations may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice; or The Visitation of Mary Catholic Church, Community Outreach. Anyone wishing to send a sympathy card to the family, please mail to Rita Beaman, c/o Barbola Funeral Chapel, PO Box 201, Berlin, WI 54923.