Rita Jean Spirko

Rita Jean (Lovatt) Spirko, 74, long-time registered nurse at Summa Health System and case manager at SummaCare passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on Saturday evening, Sept. 6, after a valiant fight against cancer.
She is survived by her husband, Robert of Hinckley whom she was lovingly married to for 52 years; son Christian of Hinckley; and Alisha (Spirko) Scott Compton of Cuyahoga Falls; and sister-in-law Helen (Spirko) Harry Ludeman of Howland, Ohio; cousin-in-law Valerie (Drapp) Michael Youll; and several more cousins and relatives in the U.S. and U.K.
Rita was the daughter of the late Alfred and Nellie (Clewlow) Lovatt of Stone, Staffordshire, England, and stepdaughter of Richard Vernon Brooks, of Wales; and held dual citizenship which she received in 2005 as a U.S. citizen. She emigrated to the United States at the age of seven in 1958 with her parents and older brother Keith A. Lovatt, deceased. She was a 1974 graduate of the Idabelle Firestone College of Nursing and worked for the Summa Health System for 40 years before retiring as a case manager from SummaCare in 2014. She dedicated her life as a registered nurse and received the Summa Caring Award in 2006 for her efforts providing caring needs for her patients. Her kindness and gentle spirit touched countless lives during her career.
In her spare time, Rita's passions were fashions and interior decorating in addition to her favorite music groups, Sting and the Beatles, and attended several of their concerts when they came to the United States. She also visited "The Cavern" in Liverpool where they started their careers. She was a beautiful woman who not only got prettier as she got older but had the gentle personality to go with that beauty. In addition, she had a quick English wit and wicked British sense of humor. She also loved attending to her flower boxes and gardens. But her greatest happiness was spending time with her family on those zany family vacations or just simply being at home with them. She knew how precious her children, husband and pets were to her. Rita will be sadly missed by her family and friends.
Calling hours will be on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 4:00 pm -7:00 pm, at Carlson Funeral Home, 3477 Medina Rd., Medina OH 44256. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. at 10:30 am at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 1088 Ridge Rd, Hinckley, OH 44233, with the Rev. Fr. William Smith as celebrant. Cremation will take place with inurnment at Hope Memorial Gardens in Hinckley, OH. Arrangements are entrusted to the Carlson Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, 3477 Medina Rd, Medina, OH 44256.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Summa Home Hospice of Akron, Ohio, for the wonderful medical assistance they provided. In addition, a special thank you for the medical services of doctors Matthew Chung, Summa Health Internal Medicine; Nicholas Pleat and Anand Desai, Summa Oncologists; and all the oncology nurses at the Summa Health Cancer Institute at the Jean & Milton Cooper Pavilion for their wonderful medical attention. This obituary may be viewed and condolences sent to https://www.carlsonfuneralhomes.com.