Rita Kathleen (Day) Shookman

Rita Shookman always met your face with a smile. She believed in the richness of life and dessert first, eating ice cream for any meal. She was a devoted wife, mother, and homemaker, who carried her cheerful disposition to every new chapter.

Rita passed away March 20, 2026, at 90 years old, peacefully at home with the love of her life, David Shookman, at her side.

She was born on June 29, 1935, in Fort Wayne, Ind., sporty and spirited from the start. A proud Girl Scout who loved to swim, kayak, and be outside, she graduated from South Side High School, where she met Dave. She later followed him to Indiana University to study education. The two were married on August 28, 1954, the beginning of a beautiful 71-year partnership.

As Dave served in the U.S. Air Force and later built a career with U.S. Steel, the family moved more than a dozen times across the country, and it was Rita who made each new place home. She was a longtime member of The Youngstown Country Club, The Kahkwa Club, and Lake View Country Club of North East, Pa. She gave generously of her time along the way, volunteering through Junior League and as a candy striper at Northside Medical Center.

Rita's love for her family was the defining feature of her life. She made every holiday feel magical - Christmas in particular - and turned everyday moments into lasting memories. She had a gift for shopping and for remembering others. She adored each of her six schnauzers, whom she walked faithfully every day. She loved photography and visits to Florida beaches.

She was known for her buoyancy, wit and a sense of humor that never left her, even through the health challenges of her last years. The couple moved from Youngstown to Akron in 2000 and loved the community they built in the Portage Lakes, settling across the street from Scott and his family.

Rita is survived by her husband, David; children Janet and Mark (Catherine); daughter-in-law Becky; grandchildren Nathaniel (Joanne) Howe, Sara (Angelo) DiFranco, Kimberly, Blake, and Charles; and great-grandchildren Aria, Nico, Isla and Luca. She was preceded in death by her son, Scott Shookman; parents, Robert L. and Grace Day; brother, Robert L. Day III, and his wife, Evie Day. Rita was also close with her large extended family and countless friends.

No formal services are planned at this time. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that memorial contributions be made to the Akron Children's Foundation, 1 Perkins Square, Akron, OH 44308, or online at akronchildrens.org/giving.