On September 22, 1943, the world became a better place when a little ray of sunshine named Rita Mary was born to Edward and Mildred Ziener Trautman in Allison Park, Pa. It was there that she lived the farm life before moving a few times, to Vero Beach, Florida and back to Pennsylvania, making lifelong friends at both Vero Beach High School and Knoch High School in Saxonburg.

Before graduating from Knoch in 1961, she acquired a know-it-all boyfriend, Dennis Widenhofer, whom she married in 1963 and lovingly tolerated for 62 years.

Rita also graduated from Passavant Hospital School of Nursing in Pittsburgh in 1963.

After a few years of moving around the country and having kids, Rita and Dennis settled down in Vero Beach, where she enjoyed a now-legendary nursing career at Indian River Memorial Hospital and several elder care facilities.

She was a member of the Community Church of Vero Beach and also attended services at Ryanwood Fellowship and Tabernacle Ministries.

Having lived a long and happy life, Rita left us on Saturday, April 5, 2025, surrounded by family. We assume she has moved back in with her parents somewhere in the Great Beyond.

Rita is survived by her husband, Dennis Widenhofer; one daughter, Linda Hagen and her family in Vero Beach; one son, Robert Widenhofer and his family in Austin, Texas; one brother, Edward Trautman and his wife, Mary Ann, and their family in Vero Beach; and countless friends and extended family in Pennsylvania and Florida.

Locally, a memorial gathering will be held at Mt. Chestnut Presbyterian Church, 727 West Old Route 422, Butler, on Thursday, April 17, at 6 p.m.

Graveside services will take place on Saturday, May 3, in Vero Beach.

As Rita loved cats, her family encourages memorial donations to the Humane Society of Vero Beach & Indian River County, Florida.

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