Rita Mae Sabalka Umberger was born on 17 April, 1954 at Omaha, Nebraska to Dean Russell Sabalka and Betty Mae Petersen and died in Fairfax, South Dakota on 9 May 2018 at the age of 64 years and 22 days.

Rita attended the Trinity Lutheran School and Fremont Public School finishing the 9th grade.  She moved with her family to Bonesteel, South Dakota in 1969, graduating from Bonesteel High School in 1972.  Rita set type on a Linotype machine for the family owned business, The Bonesteel Enterprise.

Rita was united in marriage to Ivan Umberger on 8 July, 1972 in the Trinity Lutheran Church at Fairfax, South Dakota and to this union there was one daughter, Rebecca and a son, Brian.  Following their marriage they lived in Fairfax where they built their dream home and raised their children.  Rita also worked for the city of Fairfax,  Nursing assistant for a nursing home, Flagger for construction crew and Taxidermist.  Rita enjoyed and excelled at gardening, planting flowers, fishing, hunting, bird watching, baking, and home remodeling.

Rita was preceded in death by her parents; her sister: Carol Perlenfein; her father-in-law: Ivan Umberger, Sr.

Rita is survived by her husband, Ivan Umberger of Fairfax, SD;  one daughter Rebecca (Pat) Hein of Plattesmouth, NE; one son Brian Umberger of Fairfax, SD; eleven grandchildren; two sisters, Shirley (Warren) Fredrickson of Hudson, SD and Pam Wells of Isanti, MN; one brother, Dean Sabalka, Jr of Bonesteel, SD;  her mother-in-law, Leona (Katie) of Fairfax, SD; one sister-in-law, Leana (Vic) Schmitz of Gregory, SD; three brothers-in-law; Gary (Cindi) of Randolph, NE; Mark (Lorri) of Myerstown, PA; and Larry (Denise) of Ogallal, NE; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 at 10:30 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Fairfax, SD.  Burial will be in the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Fairfax.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the church.