Rita Lorraine Backus passed away Monday, May 16, 2016, leaving her beloved husband of 53 years, Joseph Dale Backus. She was 71 years old.
Rita was born on October 2, 1944 to Cecil Albert and Viola Dorthy Jones in Elko, Nevada. Her father worked for the Western Pacific railroad and Rita loved telling her grandchildren about her adventures of growing up with her older sister and brother as boxcar children, living in converted boxcars until Cecil got a section job in Hawley, CA, just outside of small town Beckwourth, CA.
Rita attended elementary school in Beckwourth until the school closed and she was transferred to Portola. In 1952, the Jones family bought the grocery store and post office in Beckwourth. Rita lived there until 1958 when she and her parents moved to Carlin, Nevada. She attended school in Carlin prior to moving to Winnemucca her junior year in high school. She graduated from Humboldt County High School in 1962.
During the summer of 1962, while working at the local movie theater, her beauty caught the eye of her future husband, Dale. Dale had a friend ask Rita to go boating at Rye Patch, and from that day on, their relationship began to blossom.
Rita left Winnemucca to attend Stevens Henegar Business College in Salt Lake City, Utah for one year. After returning home, she and Dale were married on August 24, 1963, in the backyard of their future first home on Bridge Street.
Rita was, first and foremost, a wife and mother. She loved and supported Dale with all her heart. Rita dedicated her life to raising their four children, Demarah, Kim, Lana, and Chad. She adored and boasted to everyone about her children, their spouses, her 19 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren.
Being a faith-filled woman and member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Rita brought great joy to all those with whom she associated. She taught an early morning seminary class and served as a leader in the Young Women’s and Relief Society Organizations. She was an inspiration and great example for countless youth and women and found great joy in her service. In 2006, Rita and Dale were able to volunteer as full time missionaries for the LDS church in the England Manchester Mission for 23 months.
For 10 years, Rita served on the Humboldt County School Board of Trustees. Commenting on those years of service, Rita wrote, “It’s easy to serve those whom you love, and it’s also easy to love those whom you serve and serve with.”
Rita loved traveling, reading, learning, art, supporting her grandchildren in their various extracurricular activities, and watching her favorite movies over and over again. Her life was an example of love for and service to others.
Rita is survived by her husband, Dale; her brother, Curtis Jones; her children, Demarah (Patrick) Gray, Kim (Mike) Snow, Lana (Toby) Melver, Chad (Mandy) Backus; her grandchildren, Madison (Matthew) Jensen, McKenzie (Brady) Rupp, Ethan, Christian, and Garrett Gray; Sterling Snow, Olivia (Brandon) Winward, Cecily, Audrey, and Preston Snow; Abby, Grace, and Mason Melver; Brooklyn, J.J., Emily, Britain, Jimmer, and Sophia Backus; her great-grandchildren Blake and Cooper Rupp.
Rita is preceded in death by her parents, Cecil A. and Viola Dorthy Jones, and her sister, Sheila Sei.
Rita’s funeral service will be held Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at 11:00 a.m., at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 111 McArthur Avenue. The burial will take place at the Winnemucca Cemetery after the service.
