After five months of great effort, Rita lost her fight against cancer. She died Tuesday, Jan. 29, at Brownwood Regional Medical Center. Under the direction of Davis-Morris Funeral Home, the Rosary for Rita will begin at 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. A Funeral Mass will be observed at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, 2008, in St. Mary’s Catholic Church with burial to follow at Pleasant Valley Cemetery. Rita was born on Nov, 24, 1922, in Louisville, Ky., to Andrew and Catherine Blessinger. The second of eight children, she was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Edward and Eugene (Dutch) Blessinger and her sister Marie Heichelbech. She is survived by her sisters Martha Keely, Jane Yates, Catherine Weible, brother John Blessinger, and sister-in-law Julia Blessinger, her godchild Rita Sue Dangremond, all of Louisville, Kentucky. There are numerous nieces and nephews in the family. Rita is survived by her immediate family, James, her husband, son Robert and wife Roxie of Early, Texas; two grandsons, Joe and wife Stephanie of Arlington and Scott and wife Wendy of Austin; also, sisters-in-law Nan Nance Lackey of San Angelo and Eleanor Nance of Denton, niece Nancy Childers, and nephew Tommy Horton of Brownwood. She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church since 1946 and a member of St. Mary’s Altar Society where she served as treasurer for over 20 years. She was also a charter member of the Catholic Daughters of America. Rita’s death has left a void in our family that can never be filled, however her love and care of her families will be cherished for the rest of our lives.