Rita Irene Leavitt

In the early hours of Friday, May 16, 2025, Rita Irene (Linabury) Leavitt left this world to meet her Savior. We can only imagine how joyful this meeting was!
Rita was born on July 3, 1931, in Corunna, Michigan. Her parents were Carrie (Rigling) and Nelson Linabury. She was the second of the Linaburys' six children. She grew up in Corunna and graduated from Corunna High School with the class of 1949.
In 1955, she married Al Leavitt. They had three daughters, Wendy, Jeanne, and Susan. They lived for thirty years on the family farm near Carland. Following her divorce from Al, she moved back to her family's house on Mizner Street in Corunna. She loved that house and took great pride in living there. One of her favorite things to do was rake the leaves in the fall.
She was a devoted wife and mother. She enjoyed raising children and taking care of a house and farm. She spent a few years being the Postmaster of the Post Office in Carland and enjoyed talking to her customers. She regularly volunteered her time and gave her all to any project she was involved in. She served as a 4-H leader for many years and was asked to be the Shiawassee County Fair Supervisor in the area of arts and crafts. She loved fair week and all that it entailed. She volunteered as Secretary for the Ovid Bethel of the International Order of Job's Daughters.
Rita devoted much of her time to sewing. When her daughters were young, she made many sets of matching dresses for them to wear. She found her true love in making quilts. She made so many quilts through the years, selling a few, but giving the majority away. She truly enjoyed sewing baby quilts and receiving blankets that she donated to shelters and agencies that assisted children in need. Hundreds of babies have been warm and comfortable because of her.
Rita loved reading and read every day. She also enjoyed solving crossword puzzles, watching the evening news, reading the Argus Press, and watching sports. Her favorite sport to watch was tennis, but she also loved the Detroit Tigers and Lions as well as Michigan and Michigan State football. She looked forward to watching the Olympics, especially gymnastics and figure skating.
Rita is survived by her daughters, Wendy Colborn of Corunna; Jeanne (Mark) Buse of Saginaw; and Susan (Creig) Bigelow of Portland. She had five grandchildren, Kristi, Caleb, Zachary, Jessica, and Nathan. She also had seven great-grandchildren, Abigail, Andrew, Emily, Olivia, Ella, Avery, and Liam. Holding a baby was another of her favorite things to do, and she relished holding all of these babies. She is also survived by her sister, Sue Teichman, of Owosso, and many nieces and nephews.
A funeral and celebration of her 93 years will be held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 2:00 pm at the Watkins Brothers Funeral Home at 302 W. Corunna Avenue, Corunna, led by Pastor Loretta Smith of the Carland Global Methodist Church. Visitation will be held one hour before the funeral. Following the funeral, there will be a graveside service at Pine Tree Cemetery at 701 Pine Street, Corunna.
Rita's daughters are asking for any donations to be made to the Carland Global Methodist Church (4002 N Carland Rd, Elsie, MI, 48831). They want to send special thanks to the employees of Owosso Memorial Hospital and Pleasant View Nursing Home for all the care and attention they gave their mom in her final months. They also are so grateful to Memorial Healthcare Hospice.