Rita Hoban Walsh

Rita, 60, of Calabasas, California, and Deadwood, South Dakota passed away on December 18, 2007 at Saint John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California. At her bedside were the loves of her life, her husband, John Walsh, daughter Kathleen Rose McCall, and son, John Burnap.

Rita was born in Falls City, Nebraska on May 26th 1947, Rita was the eldest child of eight, born to John and Dorothy Hoban, who later moved to Scottsbluff, Nebraska. She attended Presentation College and earned a Bachelor of Science Nursing degree at South Dakota State University. Nursing was her great passion and affinity. She gave exceptional care to patients at Rapid City Regional hospital for over a decade. She was admired for her vast knowledge and wisdom of medicine, and her compassion and ability to give dignity to the people she cared for. She was a critical care nurse, a flight nurse, and ultimately became manager of the Cardiac Cath lab. In the summer of 1987 she met the love of her life, John, and they were married at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Deadwood, South Dakota on May 27th 1989.

Rita gave birth to a daughter, Kathleen, in 1968, whom she reluctantly placed for adoption. In 1974 she gave birth to a son John. Shortly thereafter Rita was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, a type of cancer. She endured aggressive radiation treatments which did cure her, but caused a multitude of complications later in her life. Her increasing health issues caused her to retire from her beloved nursing career in 1997. Rita enjoyed traveling, and enjoyed going between her two homes, in Calabasas, CA and Deadwood, SD. She was an exceptional cook and enjoyed preparing delicious meals while hosting family and friends. Rita enjoyed gardening and cultivating beautiful plants and flowers. Her eclectic and refined tastes made her homes wonderful places of comfort. She loved music and was a voracious reader of books and was interested in politics and current events.

Her son John was a constant light in her life. In 1996 Rita was joyfully reunited with her daughter Kathleen. She had searched for her for many years. With her family finally complete, her last 11 years were filled with pure happiness.

Rita's health began to deteriorate due to the heavy radiation treatments she received in the 1970's. She survived two additional cancers, pulmonary hypertension, and a dizzying array of other complications caused by the damage to her heart and lungs.

She is survived by her husband, John Walsh of Calabasas, CA, and Deadwood, SD, daughter, Kathleen McCall and husband Verner of Lyons, CO, son, John Burnap and wife Rachel of Deadwood, SD, granddaughters, Piper, Brenna, and Ava McCall, mother, Dorothy Hoban, of Scottsbluff, NE; brothers, Patrick Hoban and wife Griselda and Tim Hoban and wife Phanh of Tucson, AZ, sisters; Charlotte Neeley and husband Don of Scottsdale, AZ, Sheila Clemens and husband Jerry of Scottsbluff, NE and Kimberly Devenny and husband Paul of Ft. Collins, CO, and her adoring nieces and nephews, Kristian, Mike, Daniel, Ryan, Kelly, Rob, Joe, Meghan, Rachel, Caragh, Ella, Kevin and the entire Walsh clan.

She was preceded in death by her father, Dr. John Hoban, brother, Daniel Hoban, and sister, Janet Hoban.