Rita Clare Weidman

Rita Clare Weidman, age 66, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at St. Luke's Medical Center in Milwaukee, surrounded by love and family, after a courageous battle with lung disease.

Rita was born and raised in Schofield, Wisconsin, the second youngest of seven children born to Edwin and Dorothy Winnie. She graduated from D.C. Everest High School and was a member of the class of 1977. Upon graduation, Rita attended the University of Wisconsin in Stevens Point before pursuing her career in sales.

She spent many wonderful years with the Kirby Company, where she built her career and even ran her own distribution office with her husband, Michael. She later transitioned into the world of insurance and sales, where her warmth, determination, and natural ability to connect with others continued to shine. Though her path was not without challenges, Rita moved through life with perseverance, a radiant spirit, and a deep, unwavering compassion for those around her. She had a rare gift for turning strangers into friends and for leaving a lasting imprint on every life she touched.

In her final years, Rita's spirituality deepened, and she found quiet strength in her faith in God. That faith became a steady comfort; not just for her, but for all of us walking beside her. In her last days, she shared dreams that were profoundly meaningful to her: in one, she searched endlessly for a cure, only to discover that the medicine was love itself. In another, she walked along a cracked sidewalk where yellow flowers bloomed through every break. It was just like her to see hope in the hardest places and believe that love would always find a way through. That was Rita.

She was a devoted mother to Michael (Britani) Weidman II of Germantown, James (Katherine) Weidman of Milwaukee, and Ashley Weidman of Milwaukee. She was grandmother to Camden, Elinora, and Greta, who lit up her world. Rita is also lovingly remembered by her former husband and forever friend, Michael Weidman; her siblings Diane (Bruce) Stroik, Larry (June) Winnie, Shirl Roberson, Connie (Tony) Noskowiak, and Daniel (Sherry) Winnie; her former sisters-in-law, Mary Jo Winnie and Jan Krause; as well as many nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind a circle of beloved long-distance friends, with whom she remained closely connected for many years; bonds that spanned miles but never felt far from her heart. Rita was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Patrick Winnie; and her niece, Andrea Winnie.

To know Rita was to be welcomed in, to be seen and loved just as you were, and to be reminded not to take life too seriously. She opened her heart and her home to many, especially the friends of her children, who still speak of the safety, laughter, and love they found under her roof growing up. She carried a wonderful sense of humor, a kind and loving heart, and a feisty, fun-loving personality. Her impact lives on in the lives she touched and the stories people tell with a smile.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Lisa Rich, Dr. Laura McGartland, and to the exceptional doctors and nurses at St. Luke's Medical Center for their compassionate care and support.

A private celebration of Rita's life will take place later this summer.

In lieu of flowers or donations, the family asks that you honor Rita in the ways she cherished most: share a memory, a moment of laughter, or plant something yellow in her name. Yellow birds and yellow flowers (her favorite color) were the signs she told us to watch for, small messengers of her love, gently reminding us that her spirit is never far.