Rita Monette (Sawyer) Mead
Rita Monette (Sawyer) Mead
July 21, 1940 — December 17, 2019
Rita Monette (Sawyer) Mead’s earthly life ended, and her heavenly life began on Dec. 17, 2019. Monette was born in Brownwood, Texas on July 21, 1940 to Robert Coke Sawyer and Leah Bell (Nix) Sawyer. Monette’s adventures on the banks of Lake Travis began in Spicewood, Texas in 1949.
She attended school in Marble Falls and after graduating from the class of 1958, she attended Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas on an art scholarship. While in college, after one blind date, a third date marriage proposal and a six-month engagement, Monette married John E. Mead, a Houston boy who was stationed at Bergstrom Air Force Base on March 3, 1960.
The newlyweds initially settled in Houston, where over the following ten years had their four children: Mark, Robin, Lori and Joel. Their mutual desire of the country life brought them back to Monette’s Spicewood in 1970. They quickly became active member of both the Spicewood and Marble Falls communities.
In addition to working at their hearing aid service center and their propane company, Monette volunteered in so many ways but mostly at her children’s schools, at the churches she attended, with the Marble Falls Soroptimists and with the Spicewood Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary.
She loved sharing from her gardens, her homemade rolls and her pecan pie bars. Examples of her artistic talents were abundantly reflected in props and costumes in school or church plays and many Marble Falls store-front window displays. One of largest displays was the hand constructed and painted, life-size santa, sleigh and reindeer that topped Salem’s Jewelry and Fashions for many years.
While the aforementioned examples were notably public, her family feels most blessed having witnessed her love of the Lord, which was mirrored in the same unconditional love and support of her family, examples of which are too many to list in this modest tribute.
Monette is preceded in death by her parents, Robert Coke Sawyer and Leah Bell (Nix) Sawyer of Spicewood, Texas; sister-cousins, Deicie Hardin and Mojie Urban; and many beloved aunts and uncles. She is survived by her husband of almost 60 years, John E. Mead of Spicewood, Texas; her children, Mark Mead, Robin Mead Garmon and husband Bull, Lori Mead, Joel Mead and wife Debbie; grandchildren, Kyle Cummings, Jolie Mead and Seth Mead; first cousins, Mike McGarity (Shirley), Barbara Ann Elliot, Bill Norman (Janice) and Mike Norman (Sandy); and many nieces, nephews and extended family. She is also survived by her closest friends, Pat and Butch Sylvester, Joyce and H.E. Naumann and Carl Ann and John Polvado.
Monette’s funeral service was held Saturday, Dec. 21 at Fellowship Baptist Church, Marble Falls, Texas and burial at Haynie Flat Cemetery, Spicewood, Texas.
Arrangements by Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home Marble Falls.
