Kelty, Rita M.

Rita M. Kelty, 74, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2011, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha after a courageous battle with cancer. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 25, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Urbana. Interment will be at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery near Urbana. Visitation also will be held at the church from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday where a Scripture service will begin at 7 p.m.

Rita was born May 20, 1936, near Walker, to Charles E. and Dolores (Lyness) Zieser, and graduated from the Urbana High School in 1954. She later attended Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids.

On June 28, 1955, she was united in marriage to Richard L. Kelty at the original St. Mary's Catholic Church near Urbana. While Richard served his nation in the U.S. Army, the couple lived and raised their six children in several areas of the country, but wherever they resided their home was a place filled with kindness, good humor and lots of love.

Rita was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

Rita was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, where she served as church organist for 35 years, and was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society. She was a member of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 264 of Urbana and earned praise for her chocolate cake and heath bars.

Her memory will be cherished by her husband, Richard; her children, Mark (Linda) Kelty, Dave (Donna) Kelty, Brett (Loraine) Kelty, Shannon (Karie) Kelty, Lori (Lonnie) Williams and Sean (Sue) Kelty, all of Urbana; and her 17 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

A memorial fund has been established for the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy.

Condolences may be left at