Rita A. Soppe, 96 of Galena, IL passed away Friday, January 10, 2020, at Galena Stauss Senior Care Community. A funeral mass will be 11 AM on Wednesday, January 15, 2020, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Galena, where friends may call after 9:30 am until time of mass. Burial will be in the church cemetery. The Furlong Funeral Chapel, Galena is assisting the family. She was born May 25, 1923, in Galena the daughter of Albert and Elizabeth (Koehler) Ortscheid. Rita was united in marriage to Jerome “Jerry” P. Soppe on October 18, 1941, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church and he preceded her in death on September 28, 2007. Rita helped her husband Jerry on the farm and loved her garden. Her greatest joy was being a homemaker where she cared for her family and was always there when they needed her. She is survived by her children, Anthony (Susan) Soppe, Geraldine Long, Theresa (Tom) Kelly, Donna (Gerald) Manemann, Rita Mae (Larry) Colin, Barbara (Joseph) Prechodnik, Philip (Paula) Soppe,  John “Jack” (Jane) Soppe and Timothy (Mary) Soppe, thirty grandchildren, forty-five great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren. Rita was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, son-in-law, Kenneth Long, two grandchildren, one great-grandchild, three sisters, Mary Branagan, Betty Keleher, and Camillus Gassen, four brothers, Delos, Bill, Arnold and Vincent Ortschied, three brothers-in-law, Charles Branagan, Harold Keleher, and Ray Gassen, two sisters-in-law, Pearl and Marcella Ortscheid.  The family wishes to extend a special thank you to Dr. Mary Koenigs and the staff of Galena Stauss Senior Care Community for the care and kindness shown to our mother.