Obituaries : Rilda Colleen Fish

Rilda Colleen Fish

Rilda Colleen Fish, 62, of Marion, formerly of Shellsburg, died Oct. 12, 2012, at the Solon Care Center following a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral Services will be held 10:30 a.m. Oct. 16 at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel, 212 E. Sixth St., Vinton. Interment will be at Oakwood Cemetery in Shellsburg. Friends can call at the funeral home from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday. Rilda requested people not dress up for her funeral.

Rilda was born March 16, 1950, in Cedar Rapids, to Tom and Arlene (Boyer) Fish. Following the death of her mother when she was 12, and her father’s death when she was 13, she lived with her maternal grandparents, Rad and Rilda Boyer. In 1968, she graduated from Shellsburg High School, where she played basketball, softball and was in the choir and band.

Rilda was employed at the Credit Bureau in Cedar Rapids, then at Kwik-Way Manufacturing in Marion. She had also worked at Hiawatha’s Camp Bow Wow.

Family was important to her. She loved vacationing with family at Ponto Lake in Minnesota and at Disneyworld. She was very proud of her nieces and nephews, and enjoyed watching and hearing about their activities.

Her real passion were her dogs, Sophie, Ryelee and Nike. She enjoyed training and showing at obedience and agility trials. Rilda was a member of the Iowa City Dog Obedience Club and the Cedar Rapids 4RK9s. She was active in both clubs and treasured time spent with her “dog friends.”

Rilda and “Ryelee” completed the Master Agility Championship and competed at the AKC Agility Nationals.

Rilda is survived by two brothers and their wives, Rad and Pat Fish of North Liberty and Roy and Jean Fish of Shellsburg; nieces and nephew, Sharon (Mark) Basten of Hoffman Estates, Ill., Teresa (Hank) Nowak of Summerfield, N.C., and Sara Fish and Scottie Fish, both of Shellsburg; great-nieces and great-nephews, Emily and Collin Basten and Amanda and Gunner Nowak; many friends, especially co-workers, Dottie and Peggy; and her dogs, Ryelee and Nike.

She was preceded in death by her parents and four adored dogs.

Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, Two Million Dogs or the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy in Hiawatha.

Condolences may be left at www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com