Rita Adeline (Hanson) Kirkegaard

Hastings resident Rita Adeline (Hanson) Kirkegaard, 94, passed away peacefully Friday, June 20, 2025, at The Heritage – College View Assisted Living, Hastings, NE. 

Rosary will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, at Butler Volland Chapel. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 26, at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Hastings with Father Jeremy Hazuka officiating. A lunch will follow the service at Thiesen Hall. The burial will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26, at Parkview Cemetery in Hastings. Visitation will be 1-7 p.m. with the family present 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, June 25, at the funeral home, and one hour before the service at the church. Memorials may be given to the Hastings Catholic Schools Endowment Fund or Catholic Social Services. The service will be live-streamed on Livingston Butler Volland Funeral Home’s website. To view the service, go to Rita’s obituary and click the play button shown toward the bottom of the page. 

Rita was a woman of deep faith, unwavering devotion to family, and quiet strength. She was a proud graduate of Sioux City Cathedral High School, Class of 1948 in Sioux City, Iowa. Born with a caring heart, she earned her RN degree from St. Joseph College of Nursing in Sioux City, Iowa. She dedicated 50 years of her nursing career caring for others. She also went on to earn her bachelor’s degree from Kearney State College in Kearney, Nebraska. In 1951, she married Milo, and together they built a home filled with love, laughter, and faith.

She was the proud and loving mother of five children, the doting grandmother of 12, and the joyful great-grandmother of ten. Her love was felt in the smallest of gestures – from warm back rubs to the endless supply of candy and ice cream she happily shared with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A devout Catholic, Rita made meaningful trips to Rome and Lourdes, embracing the beauty of her faith. In her later years, she cherished the friendships she made at the Regency, where she could often be found holding court at the “talking corner” watching Nebraska volleyball or enjoying crosswords with her children by her side.

Rita’s legacy is one of love, kindness, and faith. She will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. 

Rita was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Milo Kirkegaard; son, David Kirkegaard; brothers and sisters-in-law, Earl (Patricia), Lewis (Joyce), and Glen (Joan) Hanson; and infant sister, Mary. 

SURVIVORS: 
Daughter:  
    Marcia (Dennis) Smith – Lee’s Summit, MO 
Sons:  
    Steven (Jo Ann Gettig) Kirkegaard – Salt Lake City, UT 
    Gary (Tony) Kirkegaard – Wilmington, NC 
    Scott (Patricia) Kirkegaard – Hastings, NE 
Grandchildren:  
    12 
Great-Grandchildren:  
    10 
Numerous Nieces, Nephews, other extended family and many friends