A Mass of Christian Burial celebrating the life of Rita A. (Klass) Norton, 93, of Newark, will be held at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, 10:30 A.M., Monday, February 15, 2021, with Fr. Anthony Lonzo as celebrant.  Interment will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery. The funeral Mass will be livestreamed, and can be accessed through the Church of the Blessed Sacrament website: www.blsac.net

Rita died at SharonBrooke Assisted Living on Sunday, January 31, 2021.  She was born in Cambridge, Ohio on January 31, 1928, to the late Bernard W. and Elsie M. (Murgatroid) Klass.

She was a 1948 graduate of St. Francis de Sales High School and longtime parishioner of the Church of the Blessed Sacrament.  Rita worked for many years at Hart's Big Bear Store, and in her retirement, she enjoyed visiting craft shows with her husband.

Rita will be greatly missed by her children, Dale (Deb) Norton, Diane (George) Layton, and Sandra Norton; son-in-law, Gary Williams; 7 grandchildren, Richard Norton, Amanda (Mike) Betts, Amy (James) Cox, Jordon (Colin) LeVeque, Troy (Emily) Layton, Justyn Eckard (Tiffany Ross), and Devin Brazil; 15 great-grandchildren, Hunter, Aidan, Brooke, Harper, Jackson, Leah, Landon, Layton, Eliana, Conley, Briggs, Peyton, Charleston, Colin III, and Emmett; sister-in-law, Elizabeth Klass; and several nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Rita was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Delmer E. Norton; daughter, Joyce Williams; granddaughter, Kayla Marie Layton; and brother, William Klass.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials in memory of Rita be made to the Blessed Sacrament School Tuition Reduction Fund, 394 East Main Street, Newark, Ohio 43055.

Calling hours will be held privately for Rita's family at REED-EGAN FUNERAL HOME, 141 Green Wave Drive, Newark.  Cards and expressions of sympathy will be accepted by the funeral home, and online condolences or memories of Rita can be shared by visiting: www.reedegan.com.