Rita Barksdale

Rita Barksdale died two years ago on June 4, 2010 at her home in Kihei, Maui, Hawaii. She was born on November 26, 1920 to George and Kathryn Phillips of Galesburg and left after attending St. Joseph’s Academy to attend college at Illinois Normal in Macomb, Illinois. After teaching school for several years she joined United Airlines as a stewardess in 1944 where she met a pilot, James Barksdale, who she married in Corpus Christi Church in 1947. They lived in Chicago until moving to Denver, Colorado where Rita had three children Michael, Stephen and Susan. After living in Colorado then New Jersey and the Bay area of California Rita moved to Maui where she lived until she died. Rita was quite active in Maui, managing the Mana Kai Maui Hotel in Kihei for 20 years along with being the President of the Maui Chamber of Commerce. After retiring from management for the hotel she traveled worldwide with the Maui Tourism Board for several years promoting Maui. She then retired from tourism and became a board member and President of the board for Maui Vista Condominiums. She is survived by her two sons Michael and Stephen, along with six grand-children Michael Jr., Jason, Jennifer, Sam, Stephen Jr. and Lindsay. There will be a memorial mass in Corpus Christi Catholic Church on Monday, June 4th at 10:00 AM followed by a graveside service at St. Joseph’s cemetery.