Rita Simon Champion of Volunteers
~ story and photo by Bob Gustin
Rita Simon is one of Brown County’ s most active volunteers, a familiar sight at fundraisers and charity events for a wide variety of causes.
Her generosity comes naturally. Growing up north of Terre Haute, she says her family was poor, but her father, a farmer, stressed the importance of sharing.
“ If we had extra garden produce and flowers, he would give it to people. If people came and couldn’ t afford to buy the flowers, we were instructed to just let them have them,” she said.
A registered nurse, Rita got her master’ s degree in public health education from Indiana University, and moved with her husband Lyle to Nashville in 1972, after he got a job at Cummins Engine Company in Columbus. She worked as a school nurse in parochial schools and ran a clinic for the Brown County Health Department before
64 Our Brown County July / August 2016
Brayden Olmsted and Rita Simon at the Brown County Library.
” I believe and I know from reading the research that happier people are volunteers. They live longer and are healthier.”
becoming a public school nurse in 1982.
“ I grew up in a small community pretty supportive of children’ s activities,” Rita said. As a public health nurse, her niche was working with children and promoting health, rather than treating disease.
Her husband died unexpectedly in 1995 and Rita retired from the school position in 2002. She set up a scholarship fund at the Brown County Community Foundation in Lyle’ s honor, and has been active tutoring children through the
Literacy Coalition, where she is a past president.
“ I guess my priority is to give back some of what I’ ve been able to receive,” she said, listing among her blessings the scholarships she received in college, a good marriage, two“ really good” children, and many good friends.“ Rita has a huge heart for children,” said retired Nashville Elementary School Principal Carolyn Emmert.“ When I first met her she was the school nurse for Brown County schools. She was never shy about advocating for a child, whether to me, the teachers, or the parents. The welfare of the children was always her first concern.
“ After I retired, Rita and I worked together on the board of the Brown County Literacy Coalition. I can easily say that she was the hardest working member of the board. Wherever there was a Literacy activity, Rita was there. She is totally committed to the children of Brown County and one of the most unselfish people I have known,” she said.
Since retiring, Rita’ s community activities have increased, and she has been an active traveler, going across the U. S. in her RV. Her daughter, Beth, lives in San Diego, California where she is on the faculty of the computer science department of the University of California. Her son, David, lives in Nashville and works as a materials planner for production at Cummins Emissions Solutions.
“ Rita is the champion of volunteers,” said Linda Todd, who is also very active in improving