Rita Wronkiewicz

Rita Anne Wronkiewicz, nee Wakat

Born 7/12/1948 – passed 12/16/2024

Survived by husband James, sons Matthew & Kenneth, grandchildren Joseph, Naomi, & Julia

Survived by 6 siblings Diane Wakat, Cynthia Wakat, Mary Drasler, Adrienne Albrecht, Jeffery Wakat, & Marc Wakat

Preceded in death by siblings Emory Jr, George, & Rosy Wakat

Rita was the fifth of 10 children, growing up in a small town, Altorf in Illinois. She loved telling stories about growing up with her siblings.

Town was next to an Illinois state park where Rita & her sisters could roam freely during the week

She attended a one-room school, usually with 3 other family members out of the 20 total enrollment. During winters Rita sometimes walked backwards the half mile home to stay out of the cold wind blowing across the bare cornfields.

Rita had vision problems that made it difficult to read the blackboard which she overcame to graduate with honors.

Rita enrolled at the University of Illinois, where she was one of the earliest women in Computer Science

Her sister remembers Rita sharing her meager summer earnings to buy school supplies for her siblings

Rita met her husband Jim while waiting in line for a keypunch during her first computer class

They started dating in Sept, 68 after reuniting at a dance, “…and I saw her standing there…”

Rita & Jim & 65 of their classmates flew to Florida to watch the Apollo 13 liftoff

Rita began her career at the Sears Roebuck computer center in June 1970 writing software to manage warehouses

Rita & Jim married Jan 23, 1972, headed off on a Florida honeymoon in Jim’s little red sports car

They moved to Connecticut in July 1972 for Jim’s job. Rita was offered a job “on the spot” at Pratt & Whitney in their business computer department, however Jim & Rita worked a mile apart in the huge plant

Their first child, Matthew, was born in Dec, 1976 coming home in a red Christmas stocking; he was baptized on their 5th wedding anniversary.

Rita was proud of her garden at their home, filling their freezer every harvest. Her children learned to like vegetables.

Rita stayed home with her 2 sons until they were both in school, then Rita reentered the workforce at The Hartford’s computer department

Traveling to exciting destinations in the US & Canada in Jim’s airplane, which Rita tolerated and their sons loved.

In 1984 Rita & Jim moved to Cincinnati, Ohio which was a lot closer to their families in Illinois.

Rita continued her computer analysist career at GE, CBIS, Proctor & Gamble, and HP where she worked on inventory programs, the corporate books & yearend report, and production support. She always was concerned for the wellbeing of her team and kept in touch after retirement.

They continued traveling, some of Rita’s favorite trips were: Poland where she experienced the culture of Jim’s ancestors. Rita also was deeply moved by their trip to Ireland, with her red hair she felt more Irish than ever before. They traveled to France several times including being there on 9-11 and seeing the Loire Valley where her great grandmother came from.

They retired and moved to Lincoln California in 2005. Rita put her computer knowhow to work helping fellow Sun City residents with PC problems. Eventually her business served over 800 clients. Her sons would brag to their co-workers “My mother teaches Windows 10” and she helps me with my PC problems.

In Lincoln they found out about the Sacramento Polish-American Club, becoming members. Rita loved cooking and here she was able to learn a new cuisine. In fact she became so proficient that Rita was training women of Polish descent how to make their ethnic dishes.

Rita & Jim moved again in 2021 to Camarillo to be closer to their grandkids.

Rita developed breast cancer in 2000, probably triggered by radiation from early CRT computer terminals. In 2022 we were shocked it had metastasized in her spinal fluid, leaving Rita unable to walk.

Rita loved the beach; she lived in Florida when she was little, we honeymooned in Florida, in Connecticut we went to shore often, and now in Camarillo we enjoyed the Pacific, but too short a time.

Rita loved sewing since she was in 4H. She sewed her wedding dress and later clothes for her children.

Later Rita took up jewelry making, exhibiting at several shows.

Rita was installed as a Eucharistic Minister in 1978 and eventually served in 3 dioceses. Rita and Jim both became Lectors at church and often read together. Rita worked with Shepherds Care to help the poor in Cincinnati, St Vincent DePaul to help the poor in Sacramento, was a religious teacher in Connecticut, but the hardest was chaperoning the teen group. As Rita’s vision problems were minimized, she began volunteering for Readers for the Blind.

Rita was handicapped by Marfan Syndrome with vision and heart problems that she overcame. Please donate to the Marfan Foundation so they can continue progress reducing the damage from this genetic condition. Their intervention added 30 years to Rita’s life expectancy.