Obituary of Rita M. Greeley

Rita Marie Greeley, a 46-year resident of Tucson, Arizona, passed away peacefully on March 31, 2024 after a short battle with cancer. Her departure on Easter was fitting as she was a deeply devout Catholic who cherished and celebrated the religious significance of the holiday. Born in Muskegon, Michigan on June 29, 1945, Rita was the oldest of six children. For most of her youth, she lived in a house that was being built by her industrious father, who worked at the local paper mill. Noticing that her parents needed help managing the family, Rita was compelled to take on responsibilities at a young age by cooking the family meals and committing to the local 4-H program. A naturally gifted seamstress, Rita won numerous youth 4-H awards, and frequently made clothes for her younger siblings and herself.

In 1963, Rita graduated from Catholic Central High School in the top three of her class, and she decided to pursue a nursing program and join the United States Air Force. She graduated from the Mercy School of Nursing in 1965, and worked as a nurse in the Mother Baby ward until everything changed on July 13, 1967 at Webb AFB in Big Spring, TX. While sitting at a table resting a broken foot, she was approached by an officer in the Air Force, Andrew Thomas Greeley. He took her to a military gala, and their romance ensued. They were married in 1969, and since the military at the time couldn’t guarantee she would be able to work on the same base as her husband, Rita left her nursing career and shifted her passion toward having a family.

In 1984, after traveling the world for the Air Force, Andrew was stationed at Davis Monthan AFB, and Rita and Andrew both fell in love with Tucson, Arizona, where they would raise their three children: Andrew, Margaret, and Michael. Over the following years, Rita devoted her life to running all the domestic chores of the household. From cooking to cleaning to teaching algebra and grammatically correct writing, she was a woman with many abilities, and she pushed her children to always strive to be their best. In her spare time, she made stuffed animals for neighborhood kids, and mastered the art of making homemade bread and cookies. She also adored the various cats she had over the years, and was especially fond of a white Persian cat named Fluffy, who passed away in October 2016.

In December 2019, after 50 years of marriage, Rita’s husband, Andrew, passed away.  She cared for him through his battle with Alzheimer's and was steadfast in keeping him at home for as long as possible. This loss had a profound impact on her. To overcome the grief, Rita spent her afternoons in her backyard pumpkin patch sharing the day with hummingbirds, cardinals, quails, and the two neighborhood cats, Ninja and Spy. She continued to bake often. She also gained a new appreciation for classic movies, and was particularly fond of Cary Grant, James Stewart, and Ingrid Bergman. Her bright light will be missed by all those who were lucky enough to know her and experience her graceful presence.

Rita is survived by her three children: Andrew Greeley of Los Angeles, CA, Margaret Dickens(Michael) of Denton, TX, and Michael Greeley of Tucson; her grandchildren Katherine, Christopher, Caroline, and Claire, and her four siblings, Donna Santos of Kalamazoo, MI, Tom Schuelke (Sherilyn) of Rockford, MI,  Mary Forget(Don) of Mechanicsburg, MA, and Anne Casteel(Tim) of Norton Shores, MI. She was predeceased by her parents Frank and Margaret Schuelke of Muskegon, Michigan, and her brother David Schuelke of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

There will be a visitation with Rosary at Bring’s Broadway Chapel on Thursday, May 2, 2024 from 5-7 p.m. A Mass will be held on Friday, May 3, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 1375 S. Camino Seco, Tucson AZ 85710. Burial with full military honors will follow as Rita will be laid to rest next to her husband at Arizona Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 15950 N. Luckett Rd, Marana, AZ 85653.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hermitage Cat Shelter of Tucson, Arizona in Rita's name.