Rita Marie Carson

August 15, 1952 — January 12, 2022

Rita Marie Carson, 69, passed away Jan. 12, 2022, at Samaritan Hospital in Moses Lake, Wash., with her daughter, sisters Eileen and Virginia and niece Tarisa at her side.

Rita was born Aug. 15, 1952 to Armin and Juosefa Bunkelman in Ellensburg, Washington. She was the fourth child out of nine. Rita spent her younger years helping on the family farm and helped care for her younger siblings.

The family relocated to the Renton area where Rita attended school in the Issaquah School District and graduated from Issaquah High School in 1970. Her senior year she participated in the Ms. Issaquah pageant and won Ms. Congeniality. In 1974, she graduated from Seattle University with a bachelor’s degree in education.

In fall of 1974, Rita moved to Moses Lake , Wash., and started her 36-year career with the Moses Lake School District. She taught primarily fifth and sixth grades at Knolls Vista Elementary and North Elementary. She also ran the computer lab for a few years. She made many friends and was respected and liked by her peers. Many of them also appreciated her sense of humor. She retired the summer of 2010.

Rita married DuWayne Justice July 31, 1978. They were married for nearly 20 years before the marriage was dissolved, but from that marriage she had two children, her daughter Jolene and her son Quintin. Rita later remarried in 2007 but that marriage also dissolved just a few short years later.

Rita enjoyed the outdoors, animals and having a good time and had many hobbies. She enjoyed bowling and shooting pool, playing in leagues for both. She enjoyed yard work, painting, camping and fishing. She spent quite a few summers camping at Blue Lake and was a member of the Soap Lake Rod and Gun Club. She also enjoyed riding horses, her favorite being Tuffy. She spent many years actively involved in her children’s 4-H projects, and was an avid collector of all things of hummingbirds. They were everywhere in her home!

As a teacher she touched the lives of many children over the decades, some whom became friends of hers. Many of them would write her cards, notes, and gave her small trinkets of their appreciation of her. Even up until her death, former students would reach out to say “hi” to Ms. Bunkelman, Mrs. Justice, or Mrs. Carson, depending on when they had her as a teacher.

Rita is survived by her only daughter Jolene Justice (Angel); her grandchildren Jacelynn, Dominque and Angel Jr., all of Moses Lake; and her siblings Christine Papineau (Dan) of Ellensburg Wash., Eileen Thompson (and the late Robert) of Rathdrum, Idaho, Bellinda Oosterwyk (Rick) of Arlington, Wash., Albert Bunkelman of Moses Lake, Wash., Armin Bunkelman (Carla) of St. Maries, Idaho, Virginia Almont of North Bend, Wash., and David Bunkelman of Kent, Wash. Among her survivors are numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

Rita is preceded in death by her only son Quintin Justice, her parents, her grandparents, her youngest brother Lenard and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Service arrangements have been entrusted to Kayser’s Chapel of Memories of Moses Lake, Wash. Her celebration of life service will be held at the funeral home Friday, April 15, 2022, at 1 p.m.

Please express your thoughts and memories at www.kayserschapel.com. Arrangements are under the care of Kayser’s Chapel of Memories of Moses Lake, Wash.