The Life Journey of Rita Kidwell

Rita Y. Kidwell

Born On: November 13, 1931

Passed On: March 22, 2020

Rita Yvonne Kidwell passed from this world on Sunday, March 22, 2020 at the SKLD Nursing facility in Grand Rapids.

Rita was born in Ypsilanti, MI on November 13, 1931 to Raymond and Ethel Fenstermacher. She graduated from Greenville High School in 1949. She studied music for two years at Western Michigan University and played first chair cornet in their orchestra. She married Julius Lehmoine in 1951 and raised four children; Randy Lemoine, Renee Emelander, Ray Lehmoine and Rachelle Collier. Three years after Rita and Julius were divorced, she married Donald Kidwell and became the step mother to; Carol Hopson, Donald R Kidwell (d. 2019), Judy Thomas, Dawn Berner, Basil, and Patrick Kidwell (d. 2009). They were married for 39 years until his passing in 2012.

Some of Rita’s happiest moments came when playing music for an audience. Besides the cornet, she played the piano, accordion, keyboard, and mountain dulcimer. She has two copyrighted songs, “So Now a Lonely Rosebud” and “Man of Galilee”. She was a member of a four-member musical group called the “Down Home Dulcimers” who played for folks in the Florida area. Later, when she could no longer play musical instruments due the debilitating health problems, she continued to play in a kitchen band.

Besides playing music, Rita taught elementary music for the Fennville Public Schools, taught kindergarten at Douglas Public Schools, was an adult leader in 4H, and worked for over ten years as a clerk typist for Consumers Power (now Consumers Energy).

People often commented on how they loved her smiling face with its happy grin, its dimples, and a twinkle in her eyes.

When it becomes safe to hold a public gathering, memorial services will be held at Orchard Hill Church, 1465 Three Mile road, Grand Rapids, MI, followed by a burial service at Fort Custer.

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