Rita B. Grieshop Giesting, 93, of Batesville, Indiana, passed away Thursday, May 5, 2022. Born October 23, 1928, in Franklin County, Indiana, she is the daughter of Clem and Anna (Berkemeier) Raver.
She married Thomas W. Grieshop on October 23, 1948, at Holy Family Church and he preceded her in death on October 27, 1987. On March 12, 1994, she married Joseph F. Giesting; he preceded her in death on August 4, 2015.
Rita attended the one-room Placke School in Franklin County and was a 1946 graduate of Batesville High School, where she was a cheerleader rooting on the Bulldogs. She enjoyed keeping in contact with her classmates through annual class reunions in recent years.
She loved children. Rita served as a 4-H leader for the Brite Rays 4-H Club, as a room mother, and on the PTA. She enjoyed spending many hours with her grandchildren playing games and doing jigsaw puzzles. She encouraged everyone to always do their best, as her father had told her.
Rita was an excellent cook and baker and won numerous awards for her creations. She was known for her coffee cakes, desserts, and herb bread, which she would bake for family gatherings, bake sales, and her card club of over 50 years. She also enjoyed sewing and counted-cross stitch and donated numerous baked goods, crafts, and quilts to the Holy Family Church Picnic.
She is survived by her daughters, Lisa (John) Struewing of Batesville and Sandra (Layne) Cameron of Noblesville; eight grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her step-children, Thomas Giesting, Donald Giesting, Mary Pohlman, Elizabeth Giesting, Janet Lewis, and Julie Giesting; seven step-grandchildren; and four step great-grandchildren. In addition to her parents and Thomas and Joseph, she is also preceded in death by her sons, Timothy and Jeffrey Grieshop; brother Paul Raver; and sisters Irene Schutte, Dolores Walke, and Marjorie Yorn.
Visitation will be Monday, May 9, from 4 – 7 p.m. at the Weigel Funeral Home. Funeral mass will be held Tuesday, May 10, at 10 a.m. at Holy Family Church with Rev. Carl Langenderfer OFM officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
The family requests memorials to Margaret Mary Health Hospice or Holy Family Church Stained Glass Window Restoration. Please join us in celebrating Rita’s life by wearing bright spring colors. For online condolences go to www.weigelfh.com.