Rita Walters, age 70, of New Ulm passed away unexpectedly Thursday, February 16, 2023 at Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis.

Memorial service will be 11 a.m. Friday, February 24, 2023 at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Ulm. Burial will be held in the New Ulm City Cemetery at a later date.

Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, February 23, 2023 at the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home – SOUTH CHAPEL in New Ulm. Visitation will continue from 10-11 a.m. Friday, February 24, 2023 at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Ulm.

Livestreaming of the memorial service will begin at 11 a.m. on Friday, February 24, 2023 on the Minnesota Valley Funeral Home's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/people/Minnesota-Valley-Funeral-Homes/100023737842758/

To leave an online condolence for the family, or to sign the guestbook, please visit: www.mvfh.org .

Rita is survived by her sons, Ryan (Tiffany) Walters of Papillion, NE and Mitch Walters of Mankato; grandchildren, Nora "Boon" and Fredrik "Fritz" Walters; sister, Anna Fredrickson of Pewaukee, WI; brother, Ron (Pauline) Fredrickson of Lone Rock, WI; and many nieces, nephews, and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Douglas Walters; her parents, Clarence and Josephine Fredrickson; parents-in-law, Willie and Norma Walters; beloved grandson, Dominik Walters; and niece, Michelle Erdmann.

Rita Mae Fredrickson was born June 24, 1952 to Clarence and Josephine (Santoni) Fredrickson in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Rita graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran High School in Milwaukee and then relocated to New Ulm to attend college at DMLC. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in elementary education, Rita returned to Wisconsin to teach. She then came back to Minnesota and began working at Retzloff's Hardware before settling at 3M in New Ulm. On July 4, 1975, Rita was united in marriage to Douglas Walters at Woodlawn Evangelical Lutheran Church in West Allis, Wisconsin. Their union was blessed with two children.

Rita continued to work at 3M in New Ulm and raise her children. In the early 90's, Rita returned to college at MSU-Mankato and earned an additional bachelor's degree. She retired from her career at 3M and continued to keep busy by spending more time with her children, beloved grandchildren, Margo, and her very dear friends. Rita spent many years as a Sunday school teacher at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, she was a board member with the Food Shelf of New Ulm, and volunteered frequently at Oaks Hills in New Ulm. Although Rita is no longer with us, her selflessness and caring for others will live on in our hearts and memories forever. Blessed be her memory.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the New Ulm Food Shelf or the Dominik Walters Memorial Fund which will complete community projects in Dominik's name.