Rita Ann Ziegler, 91, of Goldman died Aug. 20, 2020, at Friendship Village in St. Louis County. Mrs. Ziegler worked tirelessly on the family farm in Goldman, preparing thousands of meals, doing hundreds of loads of laundry, candling and grading millions of eggs, picking strawberries, harvesting sweet potatoes and driving the tractor/trailer during hay baling season. She guided her family with patience, understanding, compassion, hard work, generosity, and love. After her retirement, she served her Catholic community by embroidering quilt blocks and volunteering at Birthright. She was born Dec. 30, 1928, in Maxville, the daughter of the late Leo J. and Anna (Klahs) Wuertz. She was preceded in death by her husband: Daniel Ambrose Ziegler, whom she married on Oct. 24, 1953, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Maxville.
She is survived by a son: Anthony (JoDonna) Ziegler; seven daughters: Barbara Ziegler, Janice (Bob) Aubuchon, Carol (Steve) Flieg, Donna (John) Schroeter, Constance Ziegler, Karen Capps and Theresa (Dave) Peters; 15 grandchildren: Gary, Michael and Robert Ziegler, Laura VanEck and Allen Aubuchon, Jennifer DeRousse and Kevin Flieg, John Schroeter and Julie Kennedy, Nicholas Capps, Brighton and Hannah Ziegler, Garrett, Megan and Macy Peters; eight great-grandchildren: Violet Ziegler, Makayla VanEck, Austin and Erica DeRousse, Dixie and Josie Flieg, Audrey Schroeter, and Bard Aubuchon; a sister: Agnes; and many nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by four siblings: Alma, Frances, Walter and Cecelia; and a niece: Maryann.
Visitation is scheduled from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, at Robert D. Brown Funeral Home, 103 Fourth St., in Hillsboro. Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 703 Third St., in Hillsboro. Burial will follow in the Peaceful Meadows Cemetery in Hillsboro. Memorials may be made to Birthright in Hillsboro or in the form of Masses in her memory at Good Shepherd Catholic Church. Arrangements are under the direction of Robert D. Brown Funeral Home.