Rita Theresa (Kress) Woelfel

Rita Theresa (Kress) Woelfel passed into eternal life on Sunday, December 25, 2022 at Care Partners Memory Care in Weston, Wisconsin at the age of 89.

Born on January 19, 1933 and raised in the Township of Little Black Wisconsin, Rita was one of 4 daughters to the late Minna (Metzung)  and Ben Kress.    After completing high school in Medford, Rita went on to attend Cosmetology School in Eau Claire, WI and returned to Medford to start her career as a beautician, eventually opening her own shop.

Rita’s heart was eventually claimed by Robert “Lefty” Woelfel and they married in 1963.   Over the next years, Rita, Lefty and their growing family relocated several times around northern Wisconsin and upper Michigan for Lefty’s forestry work, until they settled in Park Falls, WI in 1969 where they built a wonderful circle of friends.

During their time in Park Falls, Rita enjoyed many years of working at the two then-go-to beauty shops, The Pink Silhouette and Lorene’s Beauty Salon; in later years, she easily transitioned into the role of school cook at St. Anthony’s Catholic School, bringing her reputation as a great cook.  Rita and Lefty remained in Park Falls until 2018, then moving to Wausau to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

Rita resided over four years at Care Partners Memory Care, where she was fortunate to have an attentive and affectionate staff who took wonderful care of her and to whom she brought her sassy good humor.  Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2012, Rita outlived expectations, sustained by fond childhood memories, enduring family connections and love for polka music.

Rita is preceded in death by her parents, two sisters Helen (Kress) Ziehlke and Ann Marie Kress, whom she now joins in heaven.   She will be especially remembered by Robert ‘Lefty’ Woelfel, Wausau and Park Falls, WI and her four children with their families:  Chuck, Lisa and Drew Woelfel, Wausau, WI;  Jeanne, Giovanni, Francesca and Robbie Angiulli, Wausau, WI;  Chris, Kelly, Alexia, Genevieve and Xavier Woelfel, Houston, Texas;  Heidi, Neal, Jack, Kolby and Emily Sutrick Hubertus, WI;  sister Leona (Kress) and Gene Gebert, Medford, WI; and numerous nieces and nephews.

The funeral Mass will be held at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church in Wausau WI on Friday, January 20th, 2023.  Following Rita’s wishes to be cremated, visitation with family and sharing of memories will take place from 11:00-12:00, followed by a mass at noon.  Peterson-Kramer Funeral Home & Crematory of Wausau assisted the family with arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials on Rita’s behalf to Catholic Charities https://cclse.org/wausau/  or St. Vincent DePaul http://svdpwausau.org/donate/ (St. Vincent de Paul, stop in at their store at 131 West Thomas Street Wausau, WI 54401).  Online condolences may be made at www.petersonkraemer.com