Rita Faye Hamm, age 91, passed away on November 11, 2022 in Rapid City, SD. Rita Hamm was born July 16th, 1931 to Jewel and Harvey Dixon in Oklahoma City, OK. During her childhood they relocated to California where her love for softball, the beach, and swimming began. When Rita was a young child, she was thrown from a moving car and survived. She recalled trying to shut the suicide doors and the wind catching the doors and throwing her out. In true Rita fashion, she then proceeded to run after the moving car! Rita worked at Knotts Berry Farm as an address-o-graph operator in the shipping department as a young lady. During the same time frame, she met and fell in love with her “Sailor Boy” Robert (Bob) Lee Hamm at a dance. They were married shortly after, in December 1952. After Bob returned from the war, they moved back to Bobs hometown of Rapid City, South Dakota. Where they proceeded to have two sons, Gary and Don. Rita loved her boys and enjoyed spending time with them. They did many things together, including: 4-H, swimming lessons at Sheridan Lake, family vacations, and outings on their motorcycles. During one memorable swimming lesson they narrowly avoided a tornado at Sheridan Lake. On their way home the neighbors had to clear the road before they could make it home safely. Rita was always up to something; she enjoyed many things. She loved being outside golfing, hiking, yardwork, or gardening (you should have seen her beautiful flowers). She would can the best watermelon pickles, apple jelly, and plum jelly from the fruits of her garden. She was also one of the most gifted artists we knew. Her ceramics, Norwegian paintings/crafts, China paintings, cross stitching, and needle work projects won many a Blue Ribbons at the fair. She has left a legacy of her beautiful handmade treasures to be passed down to her family members. As if Rita wasn’t busy enough, she took part in many different clubs & activities including the Whispering Pines Volunteer Fire Department, Ladies Auxiliary, and assisted on voting days. She was also involved in a ladies sewing circle that her and her ladies referred to as their “stitch and bitch” club! This same group of ladies was instrumental in helping to name Sheridan Lake Road. Most of all, Rita will be missed by her family and friends. If you were to stop by her house, she always had homemade cookies in the jar, a soda to spare, and was ready to hear about your day and laugh with you. If you were really lucky, she would share her amazing cooking with you as well. Rita is survived by her sons: Gary (Terri), and Don (Ann). Grandchildren: Nik (Jadie) Hamm, Austin (Kristal) Hamm, Tony Hamm, and Mikaela Hamm. Her great grandchildren: Christopher Camphouse, Justice Chambers, Liberty Chambers, Cyrrus Lowe, Doon Lowe, Alexis Hamm, Julie Hamm, Elizabeth Hamm, Brock Hamm, Hudson Hamm, Tucker Hamm, Lucas Hamm. Her great-great grandchildren: Oliver Chambers and Penelope Chambers. Rita was preceded in death by her husband Bob Hamm, her two grandsons, Justin Hamm and Jonathan Hamm, and her sister Shirley Finn.