Rita Mary Komeshak

Rita Mary Komeshak, age 88, passed away peacefully on Sunday night, February 2, 2025 in Sterling Heights.

Rita was born on March 10, 1936 to George and Mary Forstner, who emigrated from Germany in 1927.  They lived on a small farm in Roseville.  She went to Roseville High School, where she met her lifelong best friend, Ellen Gysin in the band, both playing trombone, graduating in 1954.  After graduating, she met John (Jack) Komeshak, a handsome draftsman, at the Tank Plant in Warren.  They were married on August 8, 1959.  While they were dating, they introduced their best friends Ellen and Tony Cianfarani, who also got married, creating a lifelong close friendship.  Rita worked for Dr. Selim as his office manager for several years in his ENT office in Warren.  They remained close friends, even long after Dr. Selim retired.  In the 1980s, Jack and Rita purchased waterfront property in Cedarville MI, and were very proud of the home that they built for their family to enjoy.   Rita was devoted to her family, she was close to her relatives in Germany, especially her cousins, Edith, Adolf and Karl.  She loved Red Wing Hockey, Diet Coke, cookies, a comfortable sweatshirt, crocheting, and the tv soap opera General Hospital.

She is survived by her loving husband of 65 years, John Komeshak, and her three children, Julie (Walter) Hampel, Linda (Henry “Chip”) Irwin, and Edward (Shelley) Komeshak.  She is also survived by her adored grandchildren, Zachary (Jenna) Hampel, Thomas (AKA “Rocky”) Hampel, Brittney Workens, Brett Workens, Mary Katherine Komeshak, Lauren Komeshak, and great-grandchildren, Ezekiel and Ezra Hampel and several nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death are her beloved parents George and Mary (Haegele) Forstner, her in-laws John and Ann Komeshak, her adored great-grandson Brayden Mark Workens, her brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, cousins in Germany, and lifelong friends, Tony and Ellen Cianfarani.

The interment of her ashes will be at Great Lakes Cemetery, Holly MI, at a future date.