These are the words that were prepared for Sister Rita’s 60th Jubilee.

Sister Rita was the third of six children born to Peter Jadin and Martha (Gorzelanczyk) Jadin. She was born on a farm in Sugar Bush, Wisconsin, in the Green Bay area on September 24, 1945. While her older brother and sister worked in the barn, Rita helped her mother in the house with cleaning, canning, and cooking meals for the family.

One year when her mother was in the hospital over Christmas, Rita made Christmas cookies. She was only ten years old. Her Dad was so proud of her! This prepared her for the future since she is known for her ginger snap cookies. For a number of years, she made 50 dozen which were “snapped up” by eager customers at the School Sisters of St. Francis Annual Fall Sale.

Rita attended a two-room country school named Brick School for grades one to four. Saturday catechism classes and two-week summer sessions were taught by the Bay Settlement Sisters. She enjoyed the sisters so much that her grandmother made her a “Sister” doll. But it was her seventh and eighth grade teacher at St. Mary’s School in Luxemburg, Wisconsin – School Sister of St. Francis Zita Wiebelhaus –who inspired Rita in her life’s vocation. After eighth grade, she chose to come to Milwaukee to become a School Sister of St. Francis.

On August 2, 1964, Rita became a novice and received the name Sister James Ray after her brothers James and Raymond. She modeled her life after her name, always working to be a “ray of sunshine” like Jesus. Her final profession was on the Feast of Pentecost, May 18, 1975.

After graduating from St. Joseph Convent High School and Alverno College, Sister Rita began her many years of ministry in elementary education.  She taught one year at Muscoda, Wisconsin; ten years at Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) in Milwaukee; and 29 years at St. Matthias in Milwaukee, followed by many years of substituting and tutoring every subject on every grade level.

One of her fellow teachers at St. Matthias quoted Sister Rita at her retirement. Sister Rita would say, “We’re going to add vim, vigor, and enthusiasm to learning and to life.” She certainly did.

A former student, who became a teacher, recalled how very important it was to sing with gusto. To this day he is well known for his excellent penmanship. He gives Sister Rita the credit for that. He and countless others benefited greatly from her tutoring in math.

His brother noted that Sister Rita was the best teacher he ever had. She had passion for her students and instilled motivation in them.  Her deep faith was very evident to him.  He remarked, “We could come to her with anything because we knew she cared about us. She was serious when she had to be, but when she was smiling, man, life was good!”

Sister Rita’s students also benefited from her travels to 13 countries. You could call her a “happy wanderer!” She enjoyed sharing interesting facts from the different cultures she experienced while visiting two countries in Africa, two countries in Central America, several in Europe, and walking in the footsteps of Jesus in the Holy Land.

Interesting facts from her travels were also recorded in her “Rita’s Recap” Christmas letters. She included significant events in her life and the lives of her family and friends who eagerly read these letters to see if they were mentioned in the news. These letters also serve as valuable resources for the future.

Plants and palms are also trademarks of Sister Rita. Large dumbcane dieffenbachia plants which she re-rooted are now being enjoyed throughout St. Joseph Center.  Sister Rodilia Madala taught her how to braid palms during her first year at St. Matthias. Eventually, she braided as many as 150 every year for many years. You probably received one of these beautiful palms!

Sister Rita likes to share how she routinely received checks from parents of the students she tutored that were made out to “St.” Rita.  Of course, she had to endorse them “St.” Rita.  Even a newsletter from St. Matthias was entitled “Teacher Feature, St. Rita.” She hoped that St. Peter would recognize her as “St.” Rita at the Pearly Gates, and we now trust that Sister Rita has found her way to the Pearly Gates and is enjoying the company of all the angels and saints.