Rita Seyler

  Rita Seyler, 89, of East Grand Forks, MN, passed away on Thursday, July 20, 2017 at Altru Rehab with her children by her side after a 15 month battle with pancreatic cancer.                (Callia) Rita Seyler was born January 20, 1928 in Monrovia, CA, the daughter of Morris and Uella “Lou” (Tully) Arneson. Her father died while hospitalized in Texas when she was two years old, so Rita and her mother moved to Fargo, ND, before moving to Grand Forks when she was a young girl. She graduated from Grand Forks Central High School in 1945. She married Louis “Louie” Seyler on June 24, 1950 in Crookston, Minnesota. They made their home in East Grand Forks and were the parents of four children. Cynthia Lou, Robert Louis, Joseph Scott and Paul Anthony. After graduation, Rita worked as a telephone operator and later as a supervisor for Northwestern Bell until shortly after the birth of her son Robert in 1952. She was a housewife until her children were grown and then did some part-time work in phone sales for the Grand Forks Herald’s Agweek Magazine and as a hostess at Burger King. She volunteered to work at the voting polls for many years and was a faithful annual seller of poppies, raising funds for the DAV Auxiliary’s various veterans’ causes. Rita’s children, and in later years, her grandchildren, would go along to “assist”. Her granddaughter, Theresa, has fond memories of going with Grandma to play bingo with the folks at an area veteran’s hospital where Grandma reminded her “not to eat all the angel food cake”, and all her family has fond memories of the annual DAV Turkey Bingo outings! Rita was a life-long active member of the DAV Auxiliary and served as Unit and State Commander as well as other offices. She received recognition as the Outstanding Member of the ND DAV Auxiliary for 1981 – 1982. She and Louie were members of the DAV and the VFW after Louie’s service in WWII. Rita was also a life-long member of, and was very active in, Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church. After Louie’s passing, Rita continued to travel to Colorado annually to spend time with three of her children, her granddaughter and great grandson. Rita is survived by her daughter Cindy (Fran) Pummer, Colorado Springs, CO; Robert Seyler , Frederick, CO; Joe (Wanda) Seyler, East Grand Forks, MN and Paul Seyler, Firestone, CO; granddaughter Theresa (Michael) Watson, Colorado Springs, CO; grandson Scott Seyler, East Grand Forks, MN and great grandson, Reid Watson, Colorado Springs, CO. She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband Louie in October 2012.    Funeral Services will be 11:00 AM Wednesday, July 26, 2017 in St. Paul's Episcopal Church of Grand Forks.Visitation will be for the hour before the service in the church. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery of East Grand Forks.   Memorials are preferred to the Altru Cancer Center and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.