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Rita Elsner
Visitation:
Saturday
March 15, 2025
2-4PM & 6-8PM
John Krtil Funeral Home
1297 1st Ave
New York, NY 10021
Funeral Mass:
Wednesday
March 19, 2025
10 AM
St. John Evangelist
348 E 55th St
New York, NY 10022
Burial:
Wednesday
March 19, 2025
1 PM
St. Charles Cemetery
2015 Wellwood Ave
Farmingdale, NY 11735
Rita Elsner, age 93, of New York City and Mainz, Germany, passed into eternal life on Ash
Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Rita was a devout Catholic, defender of the Catholic Faith,
defender of the unborn, and of the poor and needy. She was a dear friend, prayer partner, and
correspondent to many laypersons and religious in the United States, Germany, India, and
China. Rita was predeceased by her parents, Karl and Hedwig Elsner, her brother Karl and her
sister Monika. She is survived by her sister-in-law Gudrun and her nephew Boris in Germany.
Rita was born in Neisse, Silesia (now Nysa, Poland) in 1932 to Karl and Hedwig Elsner. She
was raised in the historic city center. Her idyllic childhood was disturbed by the rise of Nazism,
and her teenage years were ravaged by the Second World War and the invasion and eventual
partition of Silesia. Her family was part of the mass expulsion of the Silesian people when the
boundaries of Germany were redrawn and her homeland transferred to Poland. Rita and her
family were refugees of the war from 1946 until 1954. In 1954, the family secured a small
apartment in the city of Mainz, where Rita lived with her father until she emigrated to New York
During her years in New York City, while working as an administrative assistant at Exxon Mobil,
Rita actively served in Father Leppich’s Catholic apostolate. Later she was extensively involved
in Catholic Evidence Guild, sidewalk counseling for the Respect Life Movement, the
Missionaries of Charity in the Bronx, and many other charitable activities. She was a daily
communicant at St. John the Evangelist Parish, living across from the Church. Rita was a street
evangelist for the Catholic faith, reaching out and engaging in conversation with persons from
Rita was a devoted friend, godmother, and spiritual grandmother. She was devoted to the
Rosary and an example of perseverance in prayer. She will be missed by her many friends and
co-workers in charitable works. May she rest in peace with her loving Savior.
Wednesday, March 5, 2025. Rita was a devout Catholic, defender of the Catholic Faith,
defender of the unborn, and of the poor and needy. She was a dear friend, prayer partner, and
correspondent to many laypersons and religious in the United States, Germany, India, and
China. Rita was predeceased by her parents, Karl and Hedwig Elsner, her brother Karl and her
sister Monika. She is survived by her sister-in-law Gudrun and her nephew Boris in Germany.
Rita was born in Neisse, Silesia (now Nysa, Poland) in 1932 to Karl and Hedwig Elsner. She
was raised in the historic city center. Her idyllic childhood was disturbed by the rise of Nazism,
and her teenage years were ravaged by the Second World War and the invasion and eventual
partition of Silesia. Her family was part of the mass expulsion of the Silesian people when the
boundaries of Germany were redrawn and her homeland transferred to Poland. Rita and her
family were refugees of the war from 1946 until 1954. In 1954, the family secured a small
apartment in the city of Mainz, where Rita lived with her father until she emigrated to New York
City in 1960.
Rita actively served in Father Leppich’s Catholic apostolate. Later she was extensively involved
in Catholic Evidence Guild, sidewalk counseling for the Respect Life Movement, the
Missionaries of Charity in the Bronx, and many other charitable activities. She was a daily
communicant at St. John the Evangelist Parish, living across from the Church. Rita was a street
evangelist for the Catholic faith, reaching out and engaging in conversation with persons from
every walk of life.
Rosary and an example of perseverance in prayer. She will be missed by her many friends and
co-workers in charitable works. May she rest in peace with her loving Savior.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to one of Rita's favorite charities: The Missionaries of Charity (https://missionariesofcharity.org), Cardinal Kung Foundation, (http://www.cardinalkungfoundation.org), or the Respect Life Movement.
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