Rita Theresa Venz, 87, of Festus died March 21, 2018, at Crystal Oaks Care Center in Crystal City. Mrs. Venz was a longtime member of Our Lady Church in Festus, wghere she served as church secretary, and also was a member of St. Rose of Lima Church in De Soto. Born Nov. 22, 1930, in St. Louis, she was the daughter of the late Estelle (Leonard) and Anthony Wurm. She was preceded in death by her husband: Russell Ferdinand Venz.
She is survived by four sons: William “Bill” (Rebecca “Becky”) Venz of Bloomsdale, Stephen (the late Paula) Venz of Hillsboro, Michael (Kelly) Venz of Festus and Robert “Bobby” (Freeda) Venz of Festus; three daughters: Christine (Harry) Schuckmann of Independence, Diana (Keith) Gamel of Springfield and Sandra (Karl) Walker of De Soto; a brother: Charles (Mary Ellen) Wurm of Maryland Heights; two sisters: Ann (the late Roy) Dudley of Raleigh, N.C., and Joan (the late Ted) Laneman of Maryland Heights; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by two sons: David Venz, and Russell E. Venz; two daughters Deborah (Douglas survives of Crystal City) White, and Barbara (Billy Joe survives of Festus) Boedecker; three sisters: Virginia (the late Fred) Keinrath, Mary Ryan and Maureen (Martin survives of Overland) Bergin; and seven brothers: Leonard (the late Eileen) Wurm, Tony Joseph (the late Marcella) Wurm, Jim (the late Beverly) Wurm, Bishop John N. Wurm, Billy Wurm, Francis “Frank” (Fran survives of St. Peters, Missouri) Wurm, and Michael Wurm who died in infancy.
Funeral Mass was held March 24 at Our Lady Church in Festus, officiated by Father Alexander Anderson. Burial was in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Crystal City. Memorials may be made to Vitas Hospice, the American Heart Association, or the American Cancer Society. Arrangements were under the direction of Vinyard Funeral home in Festus.