Rita Kay Ohland

Funeral services and Mass of Christian Burial for Rita Ohland, 84, of Davenport, will be held at 11 am on Monday, March 3, 2025, at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, Davenport. Burial will follow in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Davenport. Visitation will be 9-11am Monday at the church. Memorials may be made to the church, Congregation for the Humility of Mary, or the Caitlin Clark Foundation.

Our dear, sweet Mom passed away Friday, February 21, 2025, at her home.

Rita Kay Whitton was born November 28, 1940, in Rock Island, a daughter of Robert and Clara (Dasso) Whitton. She graduated from Alleman High School in 1958, the former Marycrest College in 1962 and went on to earn her master’s degree from Western Illinois University.

Prior to her retirement in 2002, she had been a Spanish Language teacher for the Davenport Community Schools at Walcott, Williams, Wood, and West High School. She also taught at Marycrest College, the Migrant School in Muscatine and Red Cloud Indian School, Pine Ridge Reservation home of the Oglala Lakota tribe.

Rita enjoyed traveling, especially to Mexico and Spain where she immersed herself in the language and culture that she so loved. She enjoyed reading, playing the piano, gardening, cross word puzzles, volunteering, attending school and sporting events for her children and grandchildren as well as following the Iowa Hawkeyes. She was a member of the Blues Society and instilled her love of music in her daughter. Rita volunteered at OLV and was in the Queen of Heavens Circle. 

Faith and family define Rita. Our mother lived simply, loved truly, and laughed freely. As our own mother would say to each of us, “Let the good times roll”. 

Those left to honor her memory include her children Bonnie Ohland (Kelly Carroll) of Blue Grass, Ross Ohland of Davenport, Keith (Brandi) Ohland of Blue Springs, MO; grandchildren Steven Ohland of Dillon, CO, Jessica Niggebrugge, Zachary Ohland, Abigail Ohland, all of Davenport, Grace, Julia, Elena Ohland all of Blue Springs; great granddaughters Guiliana, Myilana, Zahlia; and sister Marilyn Bush of Milan, IL.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and sister Arline Paulsen

Online remembrances may be expressed at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.