Rita Jo (Herzog) Gregory, age 60, of Springfield, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on December 5, 2022. She was born September 28, 1962, in Dayton, Ohio, to David and Judy Herzog, who both survive. Rita was preceded in death by her sister, Rhonda Snodgrass, age 57, who passed away just hours before Rita.

In addition to her parents, Rita is survived by her husband of 18 years, Bill Gregory; children: Josiah, Jordan, Stephen and Micah Mathews; step-daughters: Kristina Dennis (Rocky) and Amber Rose (Matt); grandchildren: Jaysen, Jaelyn, Maddox, Ella, Brayden and Mila; sister, Dena Thompson (Donald); brother, David Herzog, Jr. (Tiffany); many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Rita attended Rancho High School in Las Vegas, NV and Northridge High School in Dayton, OH. She graduated from Gateway Technical College and was in the last graduating class of Springfield Regional School of Nursing.

Rita lived an incredible life filled with love, kindness and giving. Although her body was fighting against her for the past few years, dealing with hospital visits, Lupus, going on and off hospice, and having surgeries, Rita still gave more of herself and loved her neighbors. Rita was a wife, an older sister and a mother to four boys (plus others whom she considered family), all of whom she loved unconditionally. Family was everything to Rita, and she never stopped letting them know, even at the end. Outside of her family, Rita dedicated her life to caring for others through nursing and serving as a chaplain. Rita was a Registered Nurse, working in many roles and settings, but her passion was working with people in their elderly years. Rita will forever be remembered and will be incredibly missed every day. Without her, the world is a little darker and a heck of a lot more boring.

There will be a visitation held for both Rita and Rhonda from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at Newcomer Funeral Home, North Chapel, 4104 Needmore Road, where their funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday. Burial will follow at Forest Hills Memorial Gardens. Contributions may be made to the family at https://gofund.me/3da93a94

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Rita's and Rhonda's service will be livestreamed at the scheduled service time. Click Here to view the service.