Rita Ann Altpeter, 74, passed away at her home in Ventura on August 26, 2012. She was born at Saint John’s Hospital in Oxnard on St. Rita’s birthday, May 14, 1938. Rita lived her entire life in Ventura except to attend Pacific Lutheran College in Tacoma, Washington. She taught elementary grades for the Pleasant Valley School District in Camarillo for 37 years and retired in 1996. Rita spent at least half her salary on her class for school supplies and never complained. During her summers Rita was a swimming instructor for the city of Ventura and organized synchronized swimming shows in Ventura. She was also a talented competition diver and had been considered for Olympic training. Rita was also known to swim 200 laps daily.
Rita was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, in Ventura and taught Sunday school. She was known for her generosity, optimism, creativity, with a great sense of humor and light heartedness. Rita and her companion for 44 years, Dr. Jim Villaveces enjoyed traveling to Hawaii, Cancun, Acapulco, and Puerto Vallarta. In California they vacationed in San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Pebble Beach, Carmel, Lake Tahoe and various locations around the state to attend conferences with Jim. Rita and Jim enjoyed ballroom dancing, bicycling, boogie boarding, hiking and swimming.
Jim and Rita exchanged wedding rings, but constant re-hospitalization kept interrupting their wedding plans which were never to be.
Rita was preceded in death by her parents Alice and Peter Altpeter.
She is survived by her companion for 44 years Jim Villaveces; sister, Barbara Nordquist and her husband Myron of Bethesda, Maryland; Barbara’s children, Sylvy, Ingrid, and Nels of Boston, Massachusetts; and her cousin Mary Lou Owens, R.N. of Indiana and Linda Meyers of Portland, Oregon.
Funeral services for Rita will be held on Friday, September 7, 10:30 A.M. at the Trinity Lutheran Church, 196 N. Ashwood Avenue, Ventura, with the Pastor Dave Hall officiating. Interment will follow at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park, 5400 Valentine Road, in Ventura.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home.
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