Rita Louise Huebner, CSJ
March 17, 1937 - November 4, 2024
Generous, open, loved sports
Harry and Matilda (Gamstetter) Huebner of Indianapolis, Indiana, welcomed their first child, Harriet Patricia, on St. Patrick’s Day in 1937. She was educated by the Sisters of St. Joseph through both grade and high school. Harriet recalled enjoying school, summer camp and team sports. Graduating from Sacred Heart High, she entered the CSJ community on September 15, 1955. The following year, she received the habit and name Sister Rita Louise. In 1960, she earned a bachelor's degree in English from Fontbonne University. She also earned a master’s degree from Washington University (1969).
S. Rita's first ministry was teaching primary students at St. Mary Cathedral in Peoria, Illinois, in 1960. In 1961, she was sent to Pius X High School in Atlanta, and in 1962, she taught at Hannibal Catholic High (formerly McCooey High) in Hannibal, Missouri. Her next assignment was at Roncalli High in Indianapolis (1966).
In 1973, she returned to St. Louis and taught at St. Joseph's Academy. She then taught intermediate and junior high students at the Cathedral School in 1983, becoming the school librarian in 1984. Next, she accepted the position of director of applicants/associates when she returned to teaching at Corpus Christi District School, also in the St. Louis area, from 1986 to 1989. The following year, she became the librarian at Fontbonne Branch College in O’Fallon, Missouri.
In 1992, province leadership invited S. Rita to “take on the News Notes." After spending time studying the software program being used for the Province News Notes (PNN), as well as some other computer skills, she accepted. S. Rita ministered as the publications coordinator for 11 years.
In 2003, she took time off for a sabbatical. She was then invited to become part of the Sister Care team at Nazareth Living Center.
When Sister Pat Kelly retired from ministering as congregational archivist (2005), S. Rita accepted the position “… getting in touch with some of those early documents ... gives me an appreciation of who we are and where we’re going. It’s a great gift.” S. Rita also continued to write the necrologies of the deceased sisters.
S. Rita retired in 2014. In 2019, she agreed to be the St. Louis province archive liaison, which she continued until 2024, when she embraced her ministry of prayer and presence at Nazareth Living Center.
MEMORIES
Sister Marion Renkens:
Rita was a wonderful person to live with in community ... always willing to help and ready for an adventure.
Natalie Pistone, Carondelet Motherhouse Director of Hospitality:
I was so grateful for her dedicated service at the motherhouse front desk ... welcoming the dear neighbor ... Always kind and cheerful with a twinkle in her eye.
Sister Mary McGlone:
Rita was my faithful proofreader — hundreds of times for National Catholic Reporter (NCR) articles, also for my other writing. ... She was a great gift to me.
By Sister Helen Oates
Watch S. Rita's online vigil prayer