Rita was close to her aunt, Sister Sharon and attended Sisters golden jubilee as a religious sister, in the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ order in Donaldson IN. Sister Sharon was very close to her sister Esther Schaefer Koss going back to Sister’s youth (then known as Ruth) as a hair dresser in Minneapolis .

Also attending her Golden Jubilee were James and Annabelle Schaefer, (Esther Schaefer Koss’ brother), Mary Ellen Schaefer (cousin) and Dan and Linda Schaefer ( shown in this picture ).

Linda and Dan visited John and Rita when they lived in suburban Minneapolis and St Paul. After John’s death, Rita and spoke occasionally about her health conditions as I worked at Mayo Clinic in Rochester .

The Schaefer cousins spent time with John and John Koss at the Koss lake home in Hopkins. 

Linda and I admired Rita hospitality and her willingness to visit with Schaefer relatives and our life’s experiences.