| Honored by: | Susan Toys, Panit Lisy, & Janet Listebarger |
| Brick location: | K:4 map |
"Did you ever notice that the upperclassmen have a Brides magazine tucked under their arm and the underclassmen are carrying briefcases?" Rita asked me as we walked into Oak Hall in the spring of 1972. Rita spots trends and has set a few of her own as did many of the visionary heroines honored on this plaza. That same discerning eye aided her in earning a degree in craft design from Iowa State University in 1975 and later in designing fine jewelry and managing Iowa's premiere jewelry store for the past two decades.
Yet it is Rita's ability to bring her entire self her lighthearted intensity compassionate devotion and nondependence that we her "forever roommates" and John her husband of over twenty years find most admirable. She has taught us that the best way to retain lifelong friendships is to show the rest of us how to love by example. Before college days Rita grew up in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Born on October 23, 1952 she is the daughter of Robert and Clara Pospisil. Rita was reared on the family farm with sister Diane and brothers Doug and Ed who sometimes referred to their petite and effervescent sister as "shrimp." Fun-loving and popular she was active in such school activities as cheerleading and maintains friendships with many of her high school classmates. We consider Rita to be one of Iowa State's first new millennium women and are proud to honor her among other women of valor on fifty years of success. We wish her another fifty.
10/14/2002