Rita Digoncelli was born in Piantedo, Italy near the foothills of the Alps and the Lake of Como.  Rita was the third of six children.  She lost her father at age 11; after his death Rita quit school and worked to help support the family.  This was at the beginning of WWII.  At the height of WWII, Rita worked in Switzerland as a farm hand, cutting hay, milking cows, cleaning barns, house work, etc., sending money home to help support the rest of the family.

In September of 1948, Rita's Uncle Enrico helped her come to the United States under the war bride program.  She married Mario Rava, USMC in November 1948.  They lived on a dairy in Humboldt County, CA. At this time, their first four children were born.

In 1959, they moved to Mt. Angel, Oregon, where they began a small dairy.  Rita picked berries and beans with her children during the summer to make extra money, and worked alongside Mario on the dairy, canned and preserved produce from her large garden and prepared large Italian meals.  In 1970, their oldest son Henry, was killed in Vietnam.  This was a tragic time for the Rava Family and Rita held close to her faith, attending Daily Mass, and knowing her son was home.

After Henry's death and the closing of the Mt. Angel Creamery, the milk cows were sold and the next years were spent reinventing the small farm into a cattle operation while raising their younger children.

Mario passed away in 1995 from cancer, and Rita continued to live on the farm. Rita made several trips back to Italy and Megiagorre with friends and on her own. She was involved in prayer groups and bible studies.  She supported her children by babysitting, cooking, canning, etc; she never said no - - if there was a need she stepped up to the plate.

In 2025, Rita was unable to be cared for in her home and moved into an adult foster care home where she was lovingly cared for by the owners of the home, with visits from family and friends.

Rita is survived by her children:  Norma (Pete) Zolnikov, Roundup, MT; Caroline Kidder, Silverton; Anthony (Ann), Salem; and Mike (Ruth), Silverton, along with 14 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and her sister; Ilda Madogilo, Piantedo-Italy.

A special thanks to all of Moms caregivers and Tenderly Hospice who gave her quality of life and helped her live out her last years with dignity, comfort and gusto.

Her funeral will be Tuesday, February 10th, at 11:00am in St. Mary Church, Mt. Angel, with the Rosary on Monday evening, February 9th at 7:00pm in the church. In lieu of flowers, please make a charitable contribution to the St. Joseph Shelter, Mt. Angel.