Macewicz, Rita Jane (Middlecamp)Rita Jane (Middlecamp) Macewicz died at her home January 17, 2017, surrounded by her children who sang hymns to her as she journeyed to Heaven. The eighth child of David W. Middlecamp and Barbara E. (Hein) Middlecamp, she was born on December, 9, 1929, in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.Rita was deeply devoted to God, her family, community and country, and spent her life serving others.In her childhood, she was best friend and constant defender of a disabled brother and sister, and later became their legal guardian, caring for them until their deaths. She was a Girl Scout, a camp counselor, and later a scout leader, and started the first G.S. troop at St. Jude Parish in Beloit. She loved the outdoors, sewing, dolls, stamps, arranging flowers, scrapbooking and crafts, and studied piano, clarinet, voice, and business--sharing those skills and interests with her children and scouts who called her "Songbird". An honor graduate of Lincoln High School in Wis. Rapids, Rita first worked as a private secretary for Prentiss Wabers (Preway). She then moved to Chicago where she worked for Illinois Farm Supply Co. and began dating the love of her life, Edmund Macewicz. They danced throughout courtship at the Trianon and Aragon Ballrooms in Chicago, and married in 1949 at S.S. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Wis. Rapids. After living in Chicago, they moved to Janesville where Rita completed Nurses' Aide training and worked at Mercy Hospital. One of her duties was to baptize stillborn babies.In 1954, the couple moved to Beloit where they bought a home, joined St. Jude Parish, helped raise three children from Ed's first marriage, and together had nine more children. Musically inclined, Rita played piano as her children napped, enjoyed teaching them to sing, and brought them with her to choir practice and Community Concerts. Rita was a member of Beloit Treble Clef and Treble Clefettes, St. Jude choir, University of Wisconsin-Rock Choir, and Beloit College/Community Masterworks Chorus.Rita worked various temporary jobs for Dependability, as crew leader for the U.S. Census, and at the Wisconsin Tourism Bureau. She wrote weekly newspaper columns about the Badger Council of Girl Scouts. She earned an Associate of Arts degree with honors at UW-Rock Center, was MATRIX editor/ reporter at UW-Madison where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Journalism/Public Relations and Political Science. She worked as an intern for the Secretary of State of Wisconsin, and UW Alumni Magazine, and received multiple scholarships and achievement awards. She founded MACE PR and Research Service and conducted seven campaigns for local, state and congressional candidates and provided free-lance, research/writing/editing services and newsletters. She worked for the Beloit School District for 13 years and also had a Creative Memories business.Known as a "professional volunteer," Rita was past president of St. Jude Marian Guild, co-author of the parish newsletter, Eucharistic minister and lector, Pastoral Council chair, steering committee chair for the St. Jude Parish Centennial, president of Rock Deanery and of the Madison Diocesan Council of Catholic Women (CCW), National CCW Legislative Secretary, and later installed as Milwaukee Province Director for the National CCW Board. She was a lifetime member of National Catholic Foresters.Rita was active in parent/teacher associations at all levels and served on the Wisconsin State PTA Board of Directors. She was a lifetime member of Girl Scouts, board member and historian for Badger Council and awarded Girl Scouting's two highest honors.Other community service included board member of Beloit Meals on Wheels, Beloit League of Women Voters, Rock-Walworth Community Action Program, election inspector and registrar, Rock County Democratic Party secretary, and Beloit City Plan Commission.Rita was Vice-Regent and Regent of the Beloit Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and was proud of her country and heritage. She received the prestigious Our Lady of Good Counsel award from the Council of Catholic Women, the Catholic Charities Leadership Award, YWCA Tribute to Women—Minnie Mills Enking Volunteer Award, Beloit Daily News Volunteer of the Month Award, Wisconsin PTA Katzer-Smith Volunteer Service Award, and others. Family and friends remember Rita as the person who convinced them to get involved in their church and community organizations, and she was the glue who held her blended family together through annual Christmas letters and birthday remembrances.She was preceded in death by her husband Edmund, parents and siblings, daughter Lillian, infant sons Robin and Paul, infant daughter Joan, and infant grandson, Monty. She is survived by eight children, Lois (Alex) Orsag, Jr., Nancy (Richard, dec.) Diaz, Kathryn (Gary) Hackney, Janet (Robert) Camel, Mary (Kevin Davis) Macewicz, John Macewicz, Karen (David) Murphy, and Debra (Ben) Bender; 38 grandchildren; 45 great-grandchildren; seven great-great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.The family wishes to thank Beloit Regional Hospice for their compassionate and loving care of Rita.A Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be at 2 p.m. Friday, at St. Jude Catholic Church, 747 Hackett St., Beloit, WI. Visitation will be from 6 - 8 p.m. Thursday, at Daley Murphy Wisch & Associates Funeral Home and Crematorium, 2355 Cranston Rd., Beloit, WI; with a Scripture service at 6 p.m. Visitation will also be from 1 p.m. until 2 p.m. Friday at St. Jude Catholic Church.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Beloit Regional Hospice in Rita's honor, to the NCCW, to the Daughters of the American Revolution Beloit Chapter, to St. Jude Church, or to a .