Rita M. Koudelka

RITA M. KOUDELKA (nee Bolek) age 95 of Bedford. born on August 2nd, 1926, in Cleveland to Edward and Anna Bolek.  Eldest of their three daughters, Bernice and Alice (deceased).  She passed away peacefully on Monday, July 4th, 2022 at the age of 95.  Beloved wife of the late Robert; loving mother of Joseph (Rebekah), James (Janet Buskirk), Mary Ann Buczynski (Tom), and John; cherished grandmother of Jennifer (Matt Dietz), Jeffrey, Andrew (Fiance Christine Bradley), Emily, Peter, and Jasper Buskirk; dear sister of Bernice Bolek and Alice Cotter (deceased).

Rita attended Marymount High School (now Trinity High School in Garfield Hts.).  After graduating high school, she attended St. John Hospital as an Army Nurse Cadet student.  After finishing, with her new nursing degree in hand, she went to work at St. Johns.

Then along came Robert. After being set up on a blind date by friends, Robert and Rita’s romance got its start.  They enjoyed all sorts of adventures in dating together, such as, picnics, carnivals, and lots of dancing.  The two were married on September 10th, 1949 at Holy Family Church.   Rita began working at St. Alexis’ until the two started their wonderful family of three boys and one girl; Joe, Jim, Mary Ann and John.  In 1959, they bought their first home and the family took up residence in Bedford where they remained until 2021.

As her kids grew, Rita stayed active in all that they were participating in while also sharing her love and passions with the children.  She volunteered in the library and with school events and trips.  Her home became a refuge for animals the boys (mainly Jim) would bring home, including a crow. She loved nature immensely.  Whether she was listening to the birds sing from her many feeders, planting new trees, or devoting immense time to her garden behind the garage, Rita had a love of the beauty that the outdoors and working with the land offered.  When hiking with the family in the woods, Rita was known to stop and clean small streams.  Not that a stream could ever be “dirty” per se, but according to Rita, if you moved the leaves and twigs, the stream could flow more freely. 

Rita was also an excellent cook and baker.  Always being the most resourceful in using every scrap of her ingredients to their fullest and never taking the “cheaters” way out in recipes.  Every Christmas eve, she would make home made cream puffs and fashion them into a pyramid.  This tradition quickly turned into a contest amongst the children for who could devour the most cream puffs.

As Rita grew older and into new roles, such as “Nana” to her 6 loving grandchildren (Jennifer, Andrew, Jeffrey, Emily, Peter and Jasper).  She never stopped looking for ways to serve and love others.  She spent many a days at the Life Services Foundation store in downtown Bedford, sorting donations and sharing stories with customers.  Even into her 80s she found new ways to serve, such as volunteering for meals on wheels which she so loving said were being delivered to “old people.” A category she obviously did not belong in. 

Rita…Mom…Nana, grew and shaped every life she touched just like she did her garden.  She was an overcomer, strong, bold and nurturing. She was a contagious laugh and a tune to be sung at any time. She instilled in both her children and grandchildren the ideas of hard work, patience, service, and good grammar (she never hesitated to correct you in speech or writing).  She had such a love for words…and using them to beat every and anyone in scrabble.  While she may not have always had the biggest or most complex words, she always knew where every extra point on the board was and how to use it for her advantage. 

Like the gardener she was, Rita sewed seeds of light and love every where she went.  She lived a full wonderful life and evidence of her touch can be found all around in the lives and hearts of her family, friends, neighbors, and community. 

In lieu of flowers, plant a tree in Rita’s memory or donate to www.arborday.org.  Friends will be received on Friday, July 8th from 4pm to 7pm at Ferfolia Funeral Home, 356 W. Aurora Rd.,  (OHIO RTE. 82) Sagamore Hills.. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, July 9th, at 10am at Our Lady of Hope Catholic Church, 400 Center Rd., Bedford. Interment following the funeral service at Calvary Cemetery, 1000 Miles Avenue, Cleveland. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Rita M. Koudelka, please visit our floral store.