ANDERSON
| Rita Joan Padgett, 68, resident of Anderson, passed away on Saturday May 27, 2023 at Northview Health and Living in Anderson. Rita was born at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, August 29, 1954, the daughter of the late John Dale and Ruth Ann Nixon. She was a Veteran of the United States Air Force Reserve serving with the 434th and the 72nd at Grissom Air Force Reserve Base.
She married the love of her life Ronald Lee Padgett on November 28, 1992. They met working an airshow with the Confederate Air Force, where Rita had Volunteered. They married and lived in Carmel for a short time and moved to Greenfield. They then moved to the Mooreland area and then to the Anderson area. She was a member of Special Ramp Services Corp. aka Ramp Rats where she was secretary/treasurer of the group. Rita and Ron were dedicated to the preservation of old military aircraft and providing safety for the movement of those aircraft and pilots. Rita had also belonged to American Business Woman’s Association (ABWA). Rita graduated from Cowan High School south of Muncie in 1972. She was in marching band, pep band, concert band, FHA and Library Science Club. During high school Rita was a member of Job’s Daughters. She had worked at Treasurer’s Chest cake decorating store, Meadow Gold Ice Cream, Muncie Power Products and Wayne Products all in Muncie. She worked at Top Value Fabric in Carmel and the City of Greenfield at Park Cemetery and the Greenfield Street Department. Rita is survived by brother, Tom Nixon of Muncie; sisters, Betty (Tom) Woodring of Oakville and Jackie (Ray) Wise of Georgia; step daughter Heather (Scott) Long of Pittsburgh, PA; grandson, Ian Long; niece, Rachel Nixon; nephews, Nicholas Woodring, Jerrard (Jen) Dalton, Philip (Kelley) Dalton, Travis Flatford and Dale Redmond; along with all her special friends. In addition to her parents Rita is preceded in death by her husband, Ronald Lee Padgett. Services will be at 1:00 PM on Saturday June 3. 2023 at Ballard and Sons Funeral Home in Daleville 8212 South Walnut Street. Burial will follow at Tomlinson Cemetery in Muncie. Visitation will be from 11:00 AM until the time of service. Memorial contributions can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project P.O. Box 758516 Topeka, Kansas 66675-8516. You may express a condolence or share a memory of Rita at www.ballardandsons.com. |
