Rita Mae Rogers, of Cassville, Missouri...

Rita Mae Rogers, of Cassville, Missouri, died June 15, 2025, in her home, surrounded by family and friends and an abundance of love.

She was the youngest of five children, born April 21, 1951, in Cherokee, Oklahoma, to Clarence and Jennie Kinnard. Her birth was a gift to her family, bringing them comfort and great joy following a period of immense loss. It’s a light she would continue to share with everyone she met throughout her life.

Rita attended college at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma, where she received a degree in Speech Pathology. She went on to earn her teaching certification from Drury University and then her Master’s in Elementary Education.

In 1971, her college roommate introduced Rita to her brother, Merle Rogers. Six months later, on August 22nd, Rita and Merle were married in Dacoma, Oklahoma. They went on to spend 53 years of love and friendship together, during which time they settled in Cassville, Missouri, where they raised two children, celebrated two more children by marriage whom she loved as her own and welcomed three grandchildren who were the joys of her life.

Rita was a lifelong educator. She worked for the Cassville School District as a Speech Pathologist, a 5th-grade teacher, and a preschool teacher. She also built two independent daycares from the ground up – Mrs. Rogers’ Neighborhood and God’s Little Kingdom. Rita was also a teacher of the bible. She was a Sunday School teacher, led Young Adult classes and took kids all over the country for Bible Bowl competitions. Whether in the classroom or at church, Rita’s lessons went far beyond what was written. Thousands of kids learned about kindness, empathy, and generosity because they were fortunate to learn from and be loved by her.

Preceding Rita in death are her mother and father; her brothers, C.L Kinnard and Gary Kinnard and her sister, Bonnie Kinnard.

Rita is survived by her husband, Merle Rogers, of Cassville; one daughter, Robin Edie, and her husband, Jimmie, of Fayetteville, Arkansas; one son, Peter Rogers and his wife Kim, of Halltown, Missouri; one sister, Leota Nusser of Alva, Oklahoma; three grandchildren, Lydia, Ross and Kendall; her mother-in-law, Lucille Rogers of Tulsa, Oklahoma and beloved in-laws, nieces, nephews, and cousins – as well as thousands of former students and countless cherished friends.

She was devoted to them all, to the Lord, and to the Oklahoma Sooners.

Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. Thursday, June 19, 2025 at United Methodist Church in Cassville under direction of Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville. Pastor Jeff Fugitt will conduct the services. Interment will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Cassville, Missouri.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 7:00 P.M. Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at Fohn Funeral Home in Cassville.

Contributions may be made to United Methodist Church in memory of Rita.

Visit www.fohnfuneralhome.com for online obituaries, guestbook and private condolences.