Rita Maria Dix (nee Motz), beloved wife, mother of six, grandmother, and great-grandmother, was born to eternal life on November 26, 2023, at the age of 89. To her children, Rita was the ultimate "Mom." She was always present for her family, a model of faith, and a frugal, dependable, thoughtful, creative, loving, and adventurous force to all who knew her. She faced life's challenges with positivity, pragmatism, and gentle humor.

Rita and her brother, Jerome, were born first-generation children of German immigrant parents who owned a bakery on Delaware and Pryor Streets in Bay View. She attended St. Augustine Catholic School, where she was active in Girl Scouts and made life-long friends. After graduating from Holy Angels High School in 1952, she was enjoying a career as a bank teller at City Federal in downtown Milwaukee when she met the love of her life, Jim, at a Young Christian Worker's Dance. Their first date to see a Jerry Lewis movie ultimately led to their wedding on September 17, 1955, and an adventurous honeymoon tour of Niagara Falls, New York City, and Washington, DC.

Rita and Jim purchased a home in the Tippecanoe neighborhood where they raised six children, beginning with their first son, Mark, born in 1956. Rita was a gracious hostess who reveled in making her home a neat, comfortable, welcoming place for anyone who entered. She will be forever remembered for her delicious comfort foods, homey family meals, famous dinner rolls, and her delicious holiday cookies, stollen, and pies, which her family still tries to duplicate. In winter, Rita made the holidays festive by creating crafts for her family. In summer, she tended her abundant garden and was a formidable opponent on the mini-golf course. She crafted impressive floats, which won her children and grandchildren many trophies in the Humboldt Park Fourth of July parades.

Jim and Rita enjoyed the outdoors and a good hike in the woods. They were avid annual campers at Mirror Lake State Park for more than four decades and shared many memories there with their children and grandchildren until 2018. The family camper was also used for family trips to Peninsula State Park, Yellowstone, Disney World, New York City, and many other destinations. Rita also volunteered with family members in the summer at Team Up for Fun Day Camp for children with disabilities. She was the family photographer and also loved taking pictures of flowers and sunsets. Her photos were twice featured in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "Reader Photo of the Day."

Rita and her family attended St. Veronica's Parish, where she volunteered for many years at the food pantry, counted donations, and helped couples prepare for marriage. She also served as an election worker for Milwaukee for decades.

The past was important to Rita. In retirement, she was passionate about researching genealogy and loved recounting stories of her childhood and Milwaukee's early days. She also made beautiful scrapbooks for every one of her grandchildren when they graduated from high school. She and Jim traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and internationally to Mexico, Canada, and Europe, three times. Rita was excited to see her parents' childhood homes firsthand.

Rita was a source of love and light for her entire family, and she will be greatly missed. She is survived by her children, Mark (Elke) Dix, Mary (Steve) Hammer, Michael (Barb) Dix, Peter (Karen) Dix, Paul (Doris) Dix, and Anne (Larry) Pleva; her grandchildren, Sara (Alan) Stys, Megan (Jake) Voelker, Christine (Jason) Moriarity, Patrick, Erica (Dylan) Cheng, Adam, Monica, Marie, Martha, and Joel Dix; and her great-grandchildren, Hannah, Alec (Katie), Lydia, Sydney, and Lucy Stys; and Alexander Moriarity. She is also survived by her brother, Jerome (Kathy) Motz, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation and funeral will take place at St. Veronica's Parish, 353 E. Norwich St., Milwaukee, on Monday, December 4. Visitation will begin at 9 am, with the mass to follow at 11 am. Instead of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to Team Up! With Families or St. Veronica's Church and/or Food Pantry. The family also wishes to express their appreciation to St. Luke's MRICU staff in Milwaukee for their care in her final days.