Rita Karen (Niehenke) Esser, 71, of Uniontown passed away at her home on March 27, 2014.  The Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday April 2 ^nd at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Uniontown.  Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday April 3 ^rd also at St. Boniface with vault interment following at the St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery.

Rita was born the youngest of seven children to Frank and Bertha (Druffel) Niehenke in Colfax on September 25, 1942.  She grew up in Colton and attended Catholic school, graduating from the Notre Dame Academy for High School Girls in Colton.

After graduating, Rita moved to Kansas City, Missouri where she worked for Hallmark Cards as an office clerk.  On a trip home to Colton she met Donald Esser and the two were married on November 12, 1966 in Colton and made their home in Genesee.

Rita was a homemaker until her kids were in grade school.  She then took a job as a cook for the Genesee School District, eventually retiring with 24 years of service.

She was an avid gardener who enjoyed caring for the landscaping of her home.  She also enjoyed sewing and quilting and made each of her grandchildren a special quilt.  Her family remembers her most fondly for her baking abilities and her love of Gonzaga basketball and Mariners baseball.

Rita is survived by her children Roger (Celia) Esser of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Marvin Esser of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; Aaron (Jodie) Esser of Ritzville, Washington and Mindy (Steven) Penn of Mukilteo, Washington.  She is also survived by her brother Elmer "Bud" (Barbara) Niehenke of Spokane Valley; sister Imogene Weber of Colton and brother Norbert (Janelle) Niehenke of Moscow.  She was preceded in death by her husband Donald Esser in 1993 and three siblings.

Memorial contributions in Rita's honor are suggested to the American Cancer Society or to a charity of your choice.