Rheta Marie Jeffery (Morrish) gently left this world on October 28, 2024, at Dearness Long Term Care Home in London, Ontario. Rheta was born on March 8, 1937, in Fort Frances, Ontario. March 8 is International Women’s Day and Rheta lived her whole life very much in the spirit of that day.
Rheta was an accomplished artist and pursued a wide range of art forms. Rheta kept physically active throughout her life by curling, badminton, sailing, Tai Chi, and, of course, dancing.
After retiring, Rheta lived in her loved 100+ year home in St Thomas, until she met and fell in love with Leonard Poetschke at square dancing. Together they danced their way through the last years of their lives by traveling to Ecuador, Belize, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Columbia, and road trips to Outer Banks of North Carolina, Los Angeles, Vancouver and across Canada back to St. Thomas.
Rheta is survived by her children Theresa (John) D’Ornellas, Bob Jeffery (Tammy), Michele Peacock (Lee); ten grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; her brothers Tom (Shirley) Morrish, Robert Morrish; and her sisters Aurilla (Brian) MacDonald and Helen Morrish (Linda); and 18 nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her sons Daniel Earl Jeffery and Richard Louis Jeffery, Leonard Poetskshe; her parents Reginald and Madonna Morrish.
In lieu of donations take some time to watch a sunset, do some art or play with a child in her memory.
Rheta was cremated at Mount Pleasant Funeral home in London and a celebration of life will be held in July in Fort Frances.
