Rita Jeanne Herbert

Obituary
Rita Jeanne Ryan Herbert (Gigi), age 97, died on Friday, August 4, 2023. A graduate of Holy Rosary High School, Jeanne attended St. Mary's of the Springs and graduated from St. Mary's of the Woods in Terre Haute, Indiana. Jeanne and Ed Herbert were high school sweethearts at Holy Rosary. Jeanne married Ed, the love of her life, on August 10, 1948. They were married 60 years until his death on November 28, 2008. Jeanne was the proud mother of two sons, Edwin (Skip) and John (JR)., In her early years through college, she was an accomplished pianist, active in the theater and the Prom Queen and President of her graduating class at St. Mary's of the Woods. Following her marriage to Ed, she was the long- time bookkeeper of Herbert and Conway. After devoting her time to raising her sons, shuffling them to and from practices and attending their grade school and high school sports games, she became a Docent at the Columbus Museum of Art and honed her already impressive skills at contract bridge. She was very active at St. Catharine and St. Peter Catholic Churches in a number of roles, active in the St. Vincent dePaul Society and traveled extensively in her later years with Ed. Jeanne had too many friends to count, was loved by all for her caring and compassion, and brought a certain sparkle, love of life and empathy to everyone she encountered..
Survived by her sons, Skip (Patty) Herbert and J.R. (Lynn) Herbert; eight grandchildren, Molly (Eric) Ross, Ben, Luke (Leah), John (Cory), Matt (Katie), Ryan (Tony) Perez, Kyle and Sean; eight great grandchildren, Helen, Anne, Jack, Liam, Isla, Margot, Allie and Benny; brothers Jack (Linda) and Larry (Tuggie), as well as many nieces and nephews. Jeanne was preceded in death by her husband Ed, her parents Helen and John, sister Margie and brother-in-law Tom Conway, niece Anne Marie Conway, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Jack and Kate Herbert, and her brother-in-law and sister-in-law Tom and Geraldine Herbert.
Family will receive friends Friday 6-8 p.m. at EGAN-RYAN FUNERAL HOME, 403 E. BROAD ST. Mass of Christian Burial will be Saturday 10:30 a.m. at St. Catharine Church, 500 S. Gould Rd. Burial St. Joseph Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, friends who wish may contribute to National Church Residences Hospice, 2245 N. Bank Dr., Columbus, Ohio 43220.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Rita Jeanne (Ryan) Herbert, please visit our floral store.