Rheda Mcgarry

Rheda Irene (Vought) McGarry, 89, of Jeannette passed away peacefully at Walden’s View Memory Care in Irwin on Sunday, May 12, 2019. Rheda was born with her twin brother in Meyersdale, PA to the late Robert and Esther (Marks) Vought on November 25, 1929. She was named by her Aunt Dorothy Gray. Later in life, Rheda changed her name to Rita because this was the common way her name was written. Rheda was proud of her German, Mennonite and Quaker heritage so she changed her name back to its unique original spelling. Rheda and her family moved to a farm in Saltsburg Pennsylvania in the 1930’s. All her life, she loved animals beginning with “Tom and Tony”, the draft horses used to farm the land. She had many special animals in her life from dairy goats, chickens, dogs and cats. On May 1951, she married Shay McGarry and they eventually made their home next to the farm in Saltsburg. Rheda had 3 children, Dale, Debi and Lori. Rheda worked at Federal Labratories in Tunnelton, Pennsylvania in the 1940’s and 1960’s. Her daughter remembers in the turbulent late 1960’s, her mother often had to work overtime during the segregation and Vietnam war riots making tear gas bombs. Her career moved to food service until retirement She worked at The Corner Restaurant in New Alexandria for owners Dave and Al, Seton Hill College in Greensburg and Giant Eagle in Murrysville. She was most proud of her job as manager of the Penn-Trafford High School cafeteria in Harrison City. Rheda raised registered Nubian dairy goats and sold their milk. She enjoyed visiting with the people who came to buy her goat milk. The customers all had different stories about the benefits of using goat milk. Rheda made and sold “Rita’s Goat Milk Fudge” at the local health food store. She used unprocessed ingredients as much as possible in the fudge. She was an avid gardener and enjoyed raising and selling strawberries from her ½ acre garden. One Thanksgiving, she realized that everything but the turkey came from her garden. Rheda was a member of the Free Methodist Church in Avonmore and Jeannette. At these churches she found her salvation and her church family. She held various positions in each church from Board member to Sunday School teacher. Rheda loved the Lord and spent many hours studying her bible and praying. Rheda was preceded in death by her twin brother, Ray, her parents Robert and Esther and her brother Marvin. Rheda is survived by her son Dale (Pam) McGarry of Casa Grande, AZ, her daughters Debi (Steve) Munger of Mansfield, SD and Lori White of Greensburg, PA, 6 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren her sister Ruth Caldwell Bish of Weirton, WV, her brother Bob(Geraldine) Vought of Saltsburg and her sister Jean Ankney of Indiana. The family will receive relatives and friends on Wednesday, May 15 from 3 to 5:00 PM and 7 to 9:00 PM at Kepple-Graft funeral home in Greensburg, where the service will be held Thursday, May 16 at 11:00 AM with Pastor Emily Munger officiating. Interment will follow at Twin Valley Memorial Park in Delmont, PA. For online condolences, please visit www.kepplegraft.com.