Person:Rita Renta (1)

!Rita (and brothers and sister, Luis, Manuel, & Panchita) were raised by her mother's uncle, Avelino Ortiz Gonzalez and his wife Buenaventura Santiago Rosado. She loved them as she did her natural father and mother, and she called them "Father" and "Mother" without loving her natural parents any less. Rita Maria was born on Campeche Street in Ponce. She was named Rita Maria after a sister of her natural father. She (and her brother Luis, Manuel, and her sister, Panchita) went to live with her Great Uncle Avelino Ortiz Gonzalez and his wife in Coamo until 1910, where she attended a Catholic school through the 5th grade. Great Uncle Avelino had to move the family back to Ponce for his own health reasons. She attended school in Ponce and completed eighth grade in Ponce. She was a member of the first graduating class (Class of 1918) of the newly constructed Ponce High School. She attended college in San German for a while and went on to attend the University of Puerto Rico in San Juan. She started her first teaching job in the Ponce area (Cuarta de Tierra). She was a very good teacher and taught for many years. Professionally, she was recognized as "Teacher of the Year" by Puerto Rico in 1958, and went to Detroit, Michigan to represent her country in national recognition of teaching excellance. She also, used her special gift of teaching by actively serving, and teaching, in her husband's Baptist ministry working primarily with the youth of the church.

!AUTOBIOGRAPHY: "This Is My Life" by Rita Maria Renta de Bernier

!KNICKNAME: Titi (in her younger years in Coamo) Mimi (by her grandchildren)

!CENSUS: 1910 Federal Census Puerto Rico, Ponce, Segundo (Urbano), E.D. 622, Page 70. Maria's age is shown to be 12 in 1910. She was enrolled in school. She was residing with her great uncle, Avelino Ortiz y Gonzales. The family resided on Calle Capitan Correa. Her name is shown as Rita M. Ortiz y Quile on the census.

!CAUSE_OF_DEATH: Deseminated Introvascular Coagulation

!CENSUS: Padron de Vecinos de Ponce De 1897, Barrio # 5, Puerto Rico; 1897; Archivo Historico de Ponce (Calle Cristina # 68, Postal Box 1709, Ponce, Puerto Rico, 00733), Caja 5-556-1, Barrio # 5; Person # 1481; NOTE: Rita is named Rita Ortiz on the Census, and her age is recorded as being 10 months old at the time of the census. There is a Eulogio Ortiz living with Rita's mother at the time of the census. It is a possibility that Eulogio Ortiz is Rita's father, and not Manuel Renta as Rita believed. More investigation is needed before a conclusive decision can be made. (See photocopy of census.)

!MARRIAGE: Mimi was married in the home of her great aunt and great uncle on Calle Capitan Correa, in Ponce, Puerto Rico.

!BAPTISM: LDS IGI, 1993 Edition; Source Call # 1761103, on 18 April, 1992 at the Washington D.C. Temple

!ENDOWMENT: LDS IGI, 1993 Edition; Source Call # 1761103, on 1 May, 1992 at the Washington D.C. Temple

!SEALED_PARENTS: LDS IGI, 1993 Edition; Source Call # 1761103, on 23 January, 1993 at the Washington D.C. Temple

!SEALED_SPOUSE: LDS IGI, 1994 Editon; Source Call # 1903513, on 8 April, 1993 at the Washington D.C. Temple