1930
Rita
2010
Rita Tanberg
September 24, 1930 — June 8, 2010
Harlingen, TX:
Rita Maxine Staton Tanberg was born at home in Combes, Texas, to Eula Lee Garrett Staton and Wilmer Thomas Staton on September 24, 1930. Rita loved growing up with her twin brothers in the small, tight-knit community of Combes. She attended Dishman Elementary, Vernon Junior High, and graduated from Harlingen High School in 1948. In November 1949 the 19-year-old Rita began a lifelong love story when she married Carl Lee Tanberg, eleven years her senior. He had waited for her to grow up, constructing a lovely home of adobe brick to start their life together near Primera, Texas. Nearly 60 years later, with Carl Lee still by her side, Rita passed away on June 8, 2010, in that same house where their love nurtured a family and inspired multitudes of friends.
When her children were small Rita worked at Flynn Investment Company and at Wesley Preschool. As a farmer’s wife she acted as telephone receptionist and master scheduler. As a friend she listened, laughed, and consoled. Rita became a true friend to so many, always encouraging and thanking others with elegantly handwritten notes and loaves of homemade bread. Throughout her life Rita was an active Methodist, supporting her church through involvement in just about every kind of ministry and committee need. She delighted in her children’s lives and was “Nanny” to the world’s four most adorable great-grandchildren—Pike and Ty Thomas, and Beau and Brooklynn Burns.
Steadfast faith in God and assurance that Jesus had paid for her salvation led Rita to live a life based on faith, trusting God to care for her and those she loved. Despite many years of ill health, her courage in facing successive challenges was surpassed only by an abiding belief in Christ’s grace.
Rita was preceded in death by her three-year-old brother Donald, both parents, several dear brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and grandson Toby Glenn Burns.
She is survived by her sweetheart Carl Lee and their three daughters--Merrijo Dean, Sally Tanberg, and Lolly (Rick) Burns, her brothers Marion (Sandra) Staton and Melvin (Daisy) Staton--and by the six grandchildren of whom she was eminently proud: Levi (Brooke) Burns; Carly (Steve) Thomas; Garrett Dean, Brady Dean, Holden Wilkie, and Marit (Jesse) Alba. She is also survived by two aunts and several cousins.
Visitation will be held at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home on Friday, June 11, from 12 noon until 8:00 pm, with family members present from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.
A celebration of Rita’s life will be held at First United Methodist Church on Saturday, June 12, at 11:00 am following a private burial.
Serving as pallbearers are Scott Aulds, Levi Burns, Brady Dean, Garrett Dean, Bobby Farris, Mike Lassig, Steve Robinson, and Holden Wilkie (USMC, Afghanistan, in absentia).
The family is indeed grateful to Esther Perez and the staff of Odyssey Hospice for their excellent and faithful care, and to a host of other dear friends and neighbors.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 321 E. Harrison, Harlingen, Texas 78550.
You may extend your condolences to the Tanberg family online at www.buck-ashcraft.com
Services have been entrusted to Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home, 710 Ed Carey Drive, Harlingen, Texas 78550 (956-423-3636).
Rita Maxine Staton Tanberg was born at home in Combes, Texas, to Eula Lee Garrett Staton and Wilmer Thomas Staton on September 24, 1930. Rita loved growing up with her twin brothers in the small, tight-knit community of Combes. She attended Dishman Elementary, Vernon Junior High, and graduated from Harlingen High School in 1948. In November 1949 the 19-year-old Rita began a lifelong love story when she married Carl Lee Tanberg, eleven years her senior. He had waited for her to grow up, constructing a lovely home of adobe brick to start their life together near Primera, Texas. Nearly 60 years later, with Carl Lee still by her side, Rita passed away on June 8, 2010, in that same house where their love nurtured a family and inspired multitudes of friends.
When her children were small Rita worked at Flynn Investment Company and at Wesley Preschool. As a farmer’s wife she acted as telephone receptionist and master scheduler. As a friend she listened, laughed, and consoled. Rita became a true friend to so many, always encouraging and thanking others with elegantly handwritten notes and loaves of homemade bread. Throughout her life Rita was an active Methodist, supporting her church through involvement in just about every kind of ministry and committee need. She delighted in her children’s lives and was “Nanny” to the world’s four most adorable great-grandchildren—Pike and Ty Thomas, and Beau and Brooklynn Burns.
Steadfast faith in God and assurance that Jesus had paid for her salvation led Rita to live a life based on faith, trusting God to care for her and those she loved. Despite many years of ill health, her courage in facing successive challenges was surpassed only by an abiding belief in Christ’s grace.
Rita was preceded in death by her three-year-old brother Donald, both parents, several dear brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, and grandson Toby Glenn Burns.
She is survived by her sweetheart Carl Lee and their three daughters--Merrijo Dean, Sally Tanberg, and Lolly (Rick) Burns, her brothers Marion (Sandra) Staton and Melvin (Daisy) Staton--and by the six grandchildren of whom she was eminently proud: Levi (Brooke) Burns; Carly (Steve) Thomas; Garrett Dean, Brady Dean, Holden Wilkie, and Marit (Jesse) Alba. She is also survived by two aunts and several cousins.
Visitation will be held at Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home on Friday, June 11, from 12 noon until 8:00 pm, with family members present from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.
A celebration of Rita’s life will be held at First United Methodist Church on Saturday, June 12, at 11:00 am following a private burial.
Serving as pallbearers are Scott Aulds, Levi Burns, Brady Dean, Garrett Dean, Bobby Farris, Mike Lassig, Steve Robinson, and Holden Wilkie (USMC, Afghanistan, in absentia).
The family is indeed grateful to Esther Perez and the staff of Odyssey Hospice for their excellent and faithful care, and to a host of other dear friends and neighbors.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church, 321 E. Harrison, Harlingen, Texas 78550.
You may extend your condolences to the Tanberg family online at www.buck-ashcraft.com
Services have been entrusted to Buck Ashcraft Funeral Home, 710 Ed Carey Drive, Harlingen, Texas 78550 (956-423-3636).
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