Rita Drury

Rita peacefully passed away surrounded by family at her home on the family farm outside of Kelso, MO on Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at the age of 89. She was born July 13, 1931 outside of Commerce to her parents George and Alvina Compas Vetter.  On February 21, 1950, she married Thomas J. Drury at St. Denis Catholic Church in Benton.  Once married, the couple moved to a small house outside of Kelso where they lived until moving to the Drury family farm in 1953.  Thomas passed away on May 22, 1970, and Rita continued running the family farm and raising their six children.  Their daughter Susan LeGrand and son William Drury have also preceded her in death.

Rita is survived by four grown children: Joseph (Deborah) Drury of Kelso; Mary Drury of Cape Girardeau, Robert (Sandy) Drury Scott City, and Margaret Drury of St. Louis.

Fifteen grandchildren: Rebecca Drury, Kelso; Elizabeth Drury, Harrison Township, MI; Jeremy (Sarah) Drury, Festus, MO; Randy (Amy) LeGrand, Marble Hill, MO; Saundra (Rodney) Eftink, Whitewater, MO; Pam (Michael) Stone, Burfordville, MO; Shelly (Michael) Robards, Millersville, MO; Amanda Eskew, Sikeston, MO; Brandon (Amy) Drury, Cape Girardeau, MO; Matthew (Ashley) Drury, Scott City, MO; Josh Arnzen, Columbia, MO; Nathan Arnzen, Brooklyn, NY: Natalie (Matt) Arnzen-Butler, Cape Girardeau, MO; Mark (Kristin) Drury, Scott City, MO; Nicholas Drury, Scott City, MO.

Seventeen Great-Grandchildren: Tyler Brant, Cameron Clover, Stella Drury, Justin (Kayla) LeGrand, Ashlee (Ethan) Cochran, Andrew and Susan Eftink, Kiley and Kelsey Stone, Dalton Robards, Hailey (Gunner) Williams, Isis (DJ) Priggle, Maximillian Drury, Alexandria Drury, Bryar Drury, and Aiden Arnzen.

Ten Great, Great-Grandchildren: Gracen Brant, Mason and Carson LeGrand, Waylon and Abbie Cochran, Southerland, Sapphire, and Gunner Williams Jr., Ivy and Brantley Priggle.  And many nieces and nephews who call her Aunt Ritee and will miss her greatly

Rita has a surviving brother Alfred Vetter, Commerce, MO and a surviving sister Mary (Bob) Todt, Cape Girardeau, formerly of Oran, MO; and Sisters-in-law Janet (Vernon) Vetter, Victoria (Ted) Hahn, Shirley (Charles) Drury, Wanda (Jim) Drury, and a brothers-in-law David Pfeiffer, and Jerry (Katie) Drury.

In addition to her parents, husband and two children, Rita was also preceded in death by her brother, Vernon Vetter; sister, Sister Loretta Vetter, O.S.F.; sisters- and brothers-in-law, Jean Vetter, Patricia and Theon Schlosser Jr., Charles Drury, Ann and Robert Drury, Jim Drury, Mary Jane and Martin Jansen, and Nancy Pfeiffer.

She was a member of St Augustine Parish Catholic Church in Kelso and a member of the St Anne’s Ladies Sodality.  She loved going to church and continued to attend mass until it became too difficult for her to get around easily.

Rita raised cows, pigs, chickens, and crops on the farm.  She loved raising chickens and gathering the eggs.  She was a great gardener who had a wonderful green thumb.  She could take any little sprig and make it grow into a beautiful flower, bush, or tree.  She loved to dance and do the polka until the arthritis in her hip and illness made it no longer possible for her to continue on.  She used to stay up late Saturday nights and watch all the dancing and music shows and dance right along with them.

She was a lovely lady with a beautiful smile and a giving heart who had a great business sense and a quick wit.  Although illness made her a little cranky toward the end she was loved and will be greatly missed by all her family and friends.  May God’s love shine on you and may you rest in peace now free of pain, Rita.

Visitation will be from 4:00- 8:00 pm on Monday at the Amick-Burnett Funeral Chapel in Scott City.  Parish prayers will be at 6:30 pm followed by K of C service.

Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 am on Tuesday at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Kelso with Rev. Michael Casteel on Celebrant.

Burial will be in St. Augustine Catholic Cemetery in Kelso.