Rita Ferneau

Rita (Valline) Ferneau, 84, died May 29 at home, exactly as she would have wanted, surrounded by people she loved.

The only daughter among seven children, Rita grew up in a household built on hard work and devotion. She was, by all accounts, a handful in the best possible way. Adventurous, mischievous, and constitutionally unwilling to be told what she couldn’t do, she arrived in the world with her own ideas and never really stopped having them.

She was a devoted mother who understood that love is not a feeling so much as a practice, and she practiced it with intention. She made home a place worth coming back to, and she made Christmas nothing short of magical. That same devotion extended naturally into her roles as “Granny” and great Granny, where she brought the same warmth, presence, and knack for making ordinary moments feel worth remembering.

But Rita’s sense of home was never small. For years she poured herself into creating a safe and nurturing space for girls in the juvenile justice system, young women the world had too often written off. In her presence they found what so many of them had never had: belonging, warmth, and someone who believed their lives mattered. That was Rita. She had a particular gift for the people most in need of being seen.

There is an old saying that a good friend will help you move, but a great friend will help you move a body. Rita was a great friend. Her loyalty was not the fair-weather kind. It was the kind that showed up without being asked and held your secrets like they were sacred. The people lucky enough to call her friend knew they had something rare.

A lifelong Democrat with a sharp sense of justice, she didn’t confuse faith with religion. Her convictions were rooted in the Sermon on the Mount: show mercy, make peace, care for those who are struggling, and welcome those who have been left out. She believed these things were not simply ideals but responsibilities, and she was impatient with anything less.

At the center of Rita’s life was her marriage to David L. Ferneau, the love of her life and her steadfast partner. Theirs was the kind of partnership built on genuine devotion, the sort that deepens over time and anchors everything around it. David was her person, and she was his. Together they built a home (literally) full of stories, stubbornness, laughter, and love. Their marriage was built the same way.

Rita leaves behind a family she loved deeply, along with countless friends and former colleagues who were fortunate enough to know her. Rita would have had little patience for a sad ending. She lived boldly, loved fiercely, and left this world the way she entered it: making an impression. That is a life well lived.

Celebration of Life: Friends and family are warmly invited to celebrate Rita’s life at an open house gathering on August 15 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Grinnell College Golf Course, 933 13th Ave., Grinnell, IA. Come ready to share a story, raise a glass, and honor a woman who never did anything halfway and rarely did anything quietly.

The family asks that you honor Rita’s legacy by making a donation to the Young Women’s Resource Center, www.ywrc.org/donate. She gave her energy and her heart to young women who needed a champion. Continuing that work is a fitting tribute to a life spent showing up for others.