Rita Mary (Sabatka) Bowles was born in Rawlins County, Kansas, on October 7, 1927, to Frank J. and Mary Theresa (Heble) Sabatka. She passed away peacefully, with family by her side, on December 10, 2018 at the home of Mary and Brian Esch, in McCook, Nebraska.
Rita grew up on her parent’s farm close to St. John’s Catholic Church, which is near Beardsley, Kansas. Five other Czechoslovakian families also made their homes on the same section of land. She was a devout Catholic and her deep faith came from her parents, especially her mother Mary, and Aunt Sr. Rita Heble, a nun. Rita displayed many Virgin Mary statues in her home as a sign of her faith.
Rita was a kind, generous, and loving woman. She was an outstanding mother and her children were her passion. Rita took great care of them and was always very supportive of their learning and activities. Rita enjoyed visits from her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed watching them grow up. Rita was a very good cook. She loved to host every holiday meal for her family. Some of her favorite dishes were beef goulash, sticky bun cinnamon rolls, and poppy seed and fruit filled kolaches. She made wonderful cherry and blueberry cheesecake. A fun memory of her children’s was when she pulled them on a toboggan sled behind their black, hooded headlight Studebaker family car on the streets of Atwood.
Rita was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Atwood, Kansas and the Christian Mother’s Alter Society. She took care of the religious goods case in the back of the Sacred Heart Church by ordering and selling religious items for many years. Rita later became a member of the St. Patrick Catholic Church in McCook, Nebraska.
Rita was married to Lyle Winston Bowles on September 9, 1947. She was a homemaker and enjoyed playing golf when time allowed. They had four children; Dwight, Bradley, Mary, and Chad.
A special thank you goes to daughter, Mary and her family for welcoming Rita into their home. Mary took wonderful care of her mother for the past many years.
Rita was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Mary; Lyle Bowles; brother Bernard Sabatka and wife Francis; sister Genevieve McKain and husband Ralph, and young sister Elsie. Her living family includes: Dwight, Susan, Brett and Beth Bowles of Hays, KS; Brad, Butch, Nicholas and Tara Bowles, and Zack and Jewel Domsch of Atwood, KS; Brian, Mary, Marisa and fiancé Trevor Hoins, and Brady Esch of McCook, NE; Chad and Janette Bowles of Overland Park, KS; and six great grandchildren; Reagan, Amelia, and Owen Bowles and Ryan, Isaac, and Tatum Domsch.
Visitation is 5-7:00 p.m. Friday, December 14, 2018, at Baalmann Mortuary, Atwood, with a Vigil at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Mass is 10:30 a.m. Saturday, December 15, 2018, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Atwood, with burial to follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Atwood. Memorials are suggested to the church or Christian Mother’s Altar Society, in care of Baalmann Mortuary, PO Box 391, Colby, KS. For condolences or information, visit www.baalmannmortuary.com
