Rita Klauder

Palmer resident Mrs. Rita Klauder, 80, died April 2, 2010, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center in Palmer.

A memorial mass will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 1201 Bogard Road, Wasilla. Fr. William Fournier will officiate.

Rita Klauder was born in Philadelphia on Oct. 5, 1929, and grew up in Woodlynne, N.J., with her two sisters. She married the love of her life, Jim Klauder, on Feb. 18, 1950.

They moved to Medford Lakes, N.J., and raised their four children. Together they enjoyed numerous vacations; she particularly loved sharing her love of skiing with her family.

After Jim died in 1977, she followed her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse, starting college at the age of 52. Rita had a rare sense of adventure, moving to Palmer in 1992 at the age of 63.

She absolutely loved being a wife, mother and grandmother. While still in New Jersey she was politically active, a proud WOTW Grand Champion, and a long-standing Friend of Pinelands Library. We will miss her loving heart, her infectious laugh and her joyful sense of humor.

Mrs. Klauder was preceded in death by her husband, James F. Klauder.

She is survived by her sons and daughters-in-law, Jim and Cindy, Josh and Naomi, and Dan and Celena; daughter and son-in-law, Maryanne and Scott; grandchildren James, Kerry, Kaija, Max, Julie and Teague; and sisters, Vonnie and Margie.

Arrangements were by Valley Funeral Home & Crematory.