Rita was born in Lethbridge on November 17, 1961 to Clem and Frances Kaupp. She spent the first six years of her life with brothers and sisters on the family farm in Raymond before moving to Lethbridge. Rita started her schooling at Dorothy Gooder School and finished her school years at Winston Churchill School in the Special Education Graduating Class of 1982.

Rita was with the Lethbridge Rehabilitation Society for a few years before moving to Pincher Creek to live with her sister Joanne and family. She attended Pincher Creek Rehabilitation Society for six years before returning to live with her parents, Clem and Frances.

Rita was a Special Olympian, both in Lethbridge and Pincher Creek. She received medals and trophies in bowling, track and field, horseback riding and cross-country skiing. As part of the Alberta Special Olympics Provincial Team, she participated in the 1990 National Special Olympics Summer Games in Vancouver, where she was presented with a track and field medal by her hero, Lanny McDonald.

Rita loved her version of gardening – two “baby” tomato plants in a planter on the deck, surrounded by pots of petunias and geraniums at the front door. She even had window boxes of flowers at New Beginning day program where she loved to go to “work”.

Family was very important to Rita. It was often Rita who initiated special occasion family gatherings for Easter, Christmas or “just because”. She loved to party! She never forgot a birthday and always phoned her nieces and nephews to sing happy birthday to them. Her phone calls always ended with, “I love you!”

Rita loved Kananaskis Country. Every summer for the last 20 years she has spent a week at William Watson Lodge with her sister Sue and her “honorary sisters”, Lorie and Lily.

She loved shopping and Walmart was her favorite place to shop. During covid, her sister Joanne taught her about Amazon which led to her asking at least once every week if she could go to Amazon. She loved those packages delivered to the front door!

Rita was a special lady – sociable, caring, and always polite! She made friends easily, always telling them she loved them, always giving hugs. She always said thank you, whether it was a nurse poking her with needles or someone making her a meal.

Rita, or as she was sometimes called, “little bit” is survived by and will always be missed by her siblings: Terry, Sue, Ken, Joanne Sorensen (Bryan), Mike of Lethbridge; Ron (Bonnie) of Grande Prairie; Greg (Karen) of Vernon B.C.

She also leaves to mourn nieces and nephews who all held a special place in Rita’s heart: Ladell Kaupp (Angeline), Cameron Kaupp (Jodi) of Grande Prairie; Robin Sakamoto (Jeremy), Christina Kontek (Shane), Terri Barton (Shane), Janelle Sorensen, Bruce Sorensen, Braeden Kaupp, Adam Kaupp (Shae) of Lethbridge; and Cody Kaupp (Lindsey) of Ponoka, AB.

Rita was predeceased by her parents France and Clem Kaupp and her brother Dennis.

We would like to express our deep gratitude to the Lethbridge EMT’s, all the staff in ER and ICU for the wonderful care given to our sister. You are all our heroes.

A Celebration of Life will be held at VisitLethbridge.com Arena (formally known as the Enmax Centre), in the Canadian Western Bank Lounge, 2510 Scenic Dr S, Lethbridge, on Saturday, June 14, 2025 from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the New Beginnings Association, 2006-37 Street South, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3T9.