MITCHELL – Rita Hancock died on September 21, 2023, three days shy of her birthday. Her final days were spent surrounded by family and friends who lovingly walked her home.

Rita is survived by her only son, Darrell Myers; her daughter-in-law, Heidi; granddaughter Addie; grandsons Hunter and Camden; and brother, Dennis Wayne Hancock and his wife Bell. Rita loved to share stories about her hardworking son and daughter-in-law and her talented, smart grandchildren.

Rita’s parents, Wayne David & Marilynn Jean Hancock, preceded her in death. Her first granddaughter, Grace Myers, also preceded her in death.

Rita loved two things — her family and her pets. She rescued the biggest, furriest, flawed dogs and gave them life when others had given up on them. She became a board member of the White River Humane Society and volunteered many hours transporting animals that needed care and helping out as needed.

A hard worker her entire life often working two jobs just to keep the lights on, she made life-long friends at the many places she worked throughout Monroe and Lawrence County, including Carpenter Body Works, Cook Medical, Ruler IGA, P.R.D., Pets Alive and AKKA Plastics.

In honor of her life, Rita requested that anyone who wants to offer kindness in the form of a donation should consider White River Humane Society’s building fund at https://whiteriverhumanesociety.org/new-building or send donations to P.O. Box 792 Bedford, IN 47421, indicating Rita Hancock in the memo line.

To leave the world a better place than you found it is a life well-lived. And in the end, Rita did just that. She will be greatly missed by her loving family, who was by her side as she took her last breath, by those who were fortunate to have known her, and by all the cats and dogs that were given a chance at life because she was here — and she mattered. Per her final requests, a private ceremony for the family will be held