Rita Louise Zedella

Rita Louise Zedella passed away peacefully on June 5, 2026, in Jacksonville, FL, while in the care of hospice. Rita was born March 16, 1933, in Cleveland, OH. She attended St. Joseph Academy where she was an excellent student, ultimately earning a scholarship to nursing school.

Rita chose to marry Andy and raise a family. Later in life, she was a nursing assistant, a bookkeeper and after retirement, the office administrator at Clark & Zedella, P.A.

Rita was cherished by her family and friends and beloved for her warmth, intelligence, kindness and generosity of time and spirit. Family member or friend, you knew beyond a doubt, Rita loved you and would be there for you.

Rita loved music and exercise classes, puzzles of all types and English mysteries. Known for her seemingly endless energy, she often worked a crossword or talked to one of her daughters on the phone late in the evening, while also baking a batch of cookies and shifting a load of laundry from the washer to the dryer. But throughout her multi-tasking, nothing ever received less than her best.

Rita is preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Andrew Zedella, her parents Albert and Julia Starrie, her sister (Dorothy) Sister Marietta Starrie, CSJ, her in-laws, Andrew and Ann Zedella, and many other beloved family members.

Rita is survived by her children, Elaine Zedella (Steve Ziegler), Susan Bickert (Edward), Julie Gjertsen (Chip), Kristen Zedella; her grandchildren, David Sutton, III, (Elena Federico), Jacqueline Sutton (Michael Van Sickle), Aaron Bickert; her great grandchildren, Nicholas Van Sickle and Benjamin Van Sickle; her sisters-in-law, Sandra Zedella and Anne Zedella Geib; and many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins.

A funeral Mass for Rita will be on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at 11:00 am at San Jose Catholic, 3619 Toledo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32217and luncheon immediately following at Athens Café, private dining room, 6271 St. Augustine Road, #7, Jacksonville, FL 32217. If you can join us for lunch, kindly rsvp by call or text to Kristen 904-537-6414 by Saturday, July 11, 2026. Whether you can join us or not, please incorporate an item of any shade of blue or aquamarine in your outfit on this day in memory of Rita. Thank you.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Community Hospice or a charitable organization of your choosing, in Memory of Rita Louise Zedella.