(Camilla) Rita Joyce (Polasik) Solbrig, 92, a longtime resident of Ellwood City, passed away on April 6, 2021, at Connecticut Hospice in Branford, Connecticut.

Rita's last place of residence was Guilford, Connecticut, where she had been temporarily living with her daughter, Camille Solbrig, and son-in-law, Michael Weiner, since July 2020. Before the summer of 2020, she resided in Harrisburg. Rita and her husband, Charles (who passed away on March, 5, 2017, moved to Harrisburg from Ellwood City, where they had lived since 1970, in 2014 to be near their daughter, Carolyn (Solbrig) Sinisi.

Born on Nov. 24, 1928, in Chicago, IIllinois, Rita was the daughter of Michael Peter Polasik and (Camilla) Emily (Bukowski) Polasik, first- and second-generation immigrants from Poland/Prussia.

She was the surviving sibling of three girls born to Michael and Emily, Virginia Benben, Adaline Donarski and Rita Solbrig.

Rita graduated from Kelly High School in Chicago in 1946. While in high school, she was in the band, an editor of the school newspaper (Clarion Exchange), a drum majorette and a ticket office assistant.

During high school, she began working as a telephone operator and had been working as a supervisor of operators in Chicago when she met her husband, Charles Vance Solbrig of South Bend, Indiana, in 1952. They courted before marrying on June 6, 1954.

The couple, with two daughters by 1960, moved from Illinois to Kentucky to upstate New York, and finally to Wisconsin, as Charles' employer transferred him to different manufacturing facilities.

While living in Wisconsin, their son, Charles E. was born.The family moved one final time in 1970 to Ellwood City, so Charles (senior) could take a position at Medusa Cement Company.

Throughout the moving and resettling, Rita was an attentive mother to her children and a companion and partner to her husband.

She was occasionally employed in retail or manufacturing positions to augment the money available for the family.

Rita and Charles were tired of relocating, so they put down roots in Ellwood City, vowing not to make another move. They were able to keep that promise until 2014, when age and disability required that they relocate closer to their children.

Rita's three children (Camille, Carolyn and Charles E.) all attended Lincoln High School and Penn State University.

While living in Ellwood City, both before and after the children left home, Rita remained active in the work force. She found employment at Edelman's Shoes, Airway Luggage, Medusa Cement, Pennsylvania State (New Castle Unemployment Office), and was an agent with Century 21 Real Estate.

Rita was an avid sewer of home decor and made many of her children's clothes when they were small. She loved fashion, decorating and beautiful things. Each one of her moves to a different house brought the challenge of making that house a "home."

Rita is survived by her children and their spouses, Camille Solbrig and husband, Michael Weiner, of Guilford, Connecticut, Carolyn Sinisi and husband, David Sinisi, of Harrisburg and Charles E. Solbrig and wife, Gail Monds, of Ypsilanti, Michigan; and six grandchildren, Evan, Samantha, Alan, David, Eliot and Emily.

Funeral services will be held at the Marshall Funeral Home, 200 Fountain Ave. Ellwood City.

Visiting hours will be held from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. on Friday April 16, 2021.

The funeral will follow at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 17, 2021, at Marshall Funeral Home with Rev. Tod Custer officiating.

Rita will be entombed next to her husband in St. Peters' Mausoleum at Holy Redeemer Parish Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Ellwood City Library or the Ellwood City Area Family Center (311 College St.).

Online condolences may be offered to the family by visiting marshallsfh.com.