Rita W. Botelho
Obituary
Rita W. Botelho
Longtime Kenai resident, Rita W. Botelho, died Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2005, at her home with her family and friends by her side. She was 63.
A celebration of her life with an informal memorial will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, at the Kenai Senior Citizens Center. Attendants may bring food, flowers or memories.
Ms. Botelho was born July 1, 1941, on the Island of Hawaii to William and Alice (Olival) Botelho. She graduated from Honokaa High School and went on to Western State College in Gunnison, Colo. She graduated with a degree in teaching and returned later to complete her master's.
She moved to Alaska in 1964 just after the earthquake and settled in Kenai with her husband, Jim Giesler. She had two sons, Lane and Rick Giesler.
After retiring from the teaching she went on to pursue her other passions: fishing, golfing, canoeing, racquetball, skiing, horseback riding, farming, gardening, beach combing, creating Web sites and bumming with her friends and family.
Spending her winters in Hawaii, Ms. Botelho would return to work at the Kenai Golf Course.
"Her greatest gifts were her two grandsons, Derek, son of Rick, and Ryder, son of Lane," her family said.
Ms. Botelho is survived by her sons, Rick and Lane Giesler, both of Kenai; grandchildren, Derek of Shelby, N.C., and Ryder of Kenai; mother, Alice Botelho of Honokaa, Hawaii; brother, William D. Botelho and his wife, Jackie, of Smith Valley, Nev.; and sister, Bernadette Ruis and husband, Glenn, of Paauilo, Hawaii.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel in Kenai.