Rita Barnett, age 95, of Brookings passed away on Wednesday, September 27, 2023.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, October 6, 2023, at 2:00 P.M. at St. Thomas More Parish with burial to follow in the church cemetery.  Visitation will be from 5-7 P.M. on Thursday, October 5th at Eidsness Funeral Home with a Wake Service at 7:00 P.M.

Rita Madonna Barnett was born in Union County, rural Beresford, South Dakota, to Raymond E and Lucille (Walsh) Lyle on July 25, 1928. She attended rural school North of Spink until 1937 when the family moved to Elk Point.

During WW2, she learned to drive a tractor to help her dad as all the able-bodied men were in the service or helping with the war effort.  She graduated from Elk Point High School in 1946 as an honor student, and from South Dakota State College in Home Economics in 1950. She taught at Lennox High School for two years and married Hugh Barnett on June 18, 1952. Hugh and Rita lived and farmed near Brookings until Hugh's death in 2008. Rita remained living on the farm until her passing.

Rita was always involved in the farming operation. She was a member of St Thomas More Church and spent many hours as a church guild volunteer. Rita was a 4-H leader and judged exhibits for several years, participated in Extension Club work and home economics organizations as a member of Brookings Home Economics and Phi Upsilon Omicron Alumnus and also neighborhood social clubs.

Rita, Hugh and their children were selected as SDSU Family of the Year in 1989. In 2007, Rita was selected by SDSU as a South Dakota Eminent Homemaker and also received a Friend of 4-H award.

She believed her greatest achievement was helping raise her eight kind and caring children.

Rita is survived by six children: Greg (Minneapolis, MN), Ann (Rick) Volin (Brookings), Pat (Kim) (Jackson, MN), Jean (Albuquerque, NM), Rose (Golden Valley, MN) and Eileen (Jed) Skogerboe (Spirit Lake, IA); nine grandchildren: Ashley Barnett, Daniel Volin, Katherine Volin, Andree Volin, Brooke Kruppiak, Tarah Patton, Olivia Corazzin, Liz Skogerboe and Nile Skogerboe;  ten great-grandchildren;  brother Phil Lyle, sister Arlene Wells and sister-in-law Beth Eckerman and  many nieces and nephews.  She was preceded in death by sons James and Mark, daughter-in-law Debbie, grandson Trevor, sisters Evelyn Chicoine and Joan Brown and brother Raymond Lyle.

Memorials may be directed to:

Barnett Animal Science Scholarship

James Barnett Scholarship

St. Thomas More cemetery fund

Or as desired