Rita (Gaus) Lang Kelly

January 02, 2016 Last Updated: January 02, 2016 12:00 PM Death Notice

Rita (Gaus) Lang Kelly, 89, of Butler passed away Saturday at Elmwood Gardens in Erie from Alzheimer's.

A daughter of the late Lawrence and Marie (Sismour) Gaus, she was born Dec. 25, 1925, in Pittsburgh.

Rita graduated from Grove City College in 1947 and studied at the University of Mexico. She retired from Pennsylvania's Act 89 program as a remedial teacher at Butler Catholic School.

She was a member of the Meridian Women's Club, the Butler Natural Foods Group, the Tanglewood Center and the Christian Mothers of St. Fidelis Catholic Church in Meridian.

Rita was a pioneer in organic gardening and holistic living, as well as a voracious reader and traveler.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Frank T. Lang in 1979; her second husband, Richard J. Kelly in 2012; her son, Gerald T. Lang in 2013; and two sisters-in-law, Florinda Lang and Carol Gaus.

Rita is survived by two daughters, Gretchen Lang Petrarca (Richard) of Erie, Pa., and Margy Lang of St. Augustine, Fla.; her sister, Florence Long (Robert) of Longs, S.C.; three brothers, Lawrence Gaus of Pittsburgh, Robert Gaus (Sylvia) of Wexford and Alan Gaus (Jeannie) of Franklin, Tenn.; her sister-in-law, Karen Gaus of Pittsburgh; five stepchildren, Richard Kelly Jr. (Marlene) of State College, Pa., Colleen Kelly Laich (Dennis) of Columbus, Ohio, and Kathleen Olson (Rob), Patrick Kelly (Glenda) and Timothy Kelly (Mitzi), all of Butler; 10 grandchildren, Nicholas Petrarca (Kristen Tome), Jordan Petrarca (Svetlana), Lori Lang Clarkson (Sean), Brian T. Lang (Alyssa McCombs), Erin Kelly, Sean Kelly (Christine), Brett Stewart (Ashley), Elizabeth O'Leary (Matt), Ryan Notaro (Sarah) and Ryan Kelly (Sharon); and numerous great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

KELLY — A memorial Mass for Rita (Gaus) Lang Kelly, who died Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015, will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Dec. 28 at St. Fidelis Catholic Church, Meridian, 125 Buttercup Road, Butler. Burial will be private later.Brugger Funeral Homes & Crematory, 1595 W. 38th St. at Greengarden Boulevard, Erie, is handling arrangements.Memorials may be made to TNA-Facial Pain Association, 408 W. University Ave., Ste. 402, Gainesville, FL 32601 (facepain.org) or the charity of one's choice.Condolences and photographs may be sent at www.bruggerfuneralhomes.com.