Anita Virginia Earle

Anita Virginia Reisacker Earle, 96, passed away Friday, March 18, in Tavares, Florida.  Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Friday, March 25, followed by a service at 11 a.m. at Esterdahl Mortuary and Crematory, Moline, Illinois. Burial will be in Bowlesburg Cemetery, East Moline, Illinois.

Anita was born in Rock Island, Illinois on December 7, 1919, the youngest of John and Algenette Reisacker‘s five children.

She graduated from Rock Island High School in 1937.

Growing up near Rock Island’s Long View Park, Anita spent many hours playing baseball in the park with her three brothers, Alex, John, and Bob, and their friends. Thus she joined a women’s semi-pro softball league at the age of 13 when, even though she was small for her age, the league waived the age requirement of 18 for her. She was one of their best players and continued to play softball into her thirties. At age 55, she coached a granddaughter’s softball team, and they won the city championship. She was a St. Louis Cardinals fan.

She married Harold Earle in 1939 in Kahoka, Missouri. Three children were born to them: JoAnne, Judy, and Steven.

Anita began working at Deere & Company’s world headquarters in downtown Moline in March 1955 and retired from the current Deere headquarters on December 31, 1977, working there more than 22 years. She operated the copy cameras and developing room for company communications.

Anita and Harold both enjoyed fishing and, in their middle years, moved from Rock Island to a home on Rock River near the Deere headquarters where they lived for about 20  years before moving back to Rock Island. They also enjoyed vacations at fishing resorts in the Arkansas Ozarks and Minnesota. They most enjoyed the outdoors, being close to nature, and just relaxing. The longest trip they took together was a bus tour through Canada to Alaska, but Anita accompanied JoAnne to Europe one summer.  Harold passed away in 1998.

In 2006, at age 86, Anita moved from Rock Island to Central Florida to live with her daughter and son-in-law, Jo Anne and Vic Walker. In her active-adult community there, she played bocce ball, bingo, and pool, and joined a group that made teddy bears and blankets for a children’s hospital. She could beat nearly all of the men at pool. She also attended weekly Bible study and learned quilting, making beautiful quilts for her family within the next few years. She continued to play the piano, something she learned and practiced in her younger years. She was a proud member of the DAR and a Deere retirees group.

Anita always appreciated the beautiful area where she lived in Florida with its rolling green hills, lakes, and abundant sunshine. Early every morning, she would navigate on her golf cart to a favorite spot high on a hill, under a big oak tree where a bench overlooked a peaceful lake far below. She had provided the bench for the community in memory of Harold and herself.

In August 2013, after a mild stroke, Anita moved to assisted living at The Cove at Tavares Village in Tavares, Florida. There she made friends quickly, and those dear friends and neighbors from her previous community, Royal Harbor, continued to visit her at The Cove.

Anita is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, JoAnne and Vic Walker, Tavares, Florida, and Judy and Bill Waters, Chandler, Arizona, and a daughter-in-law, Debbie Earle, Foristell, Missouri; eleven grandchildren, Scott Walker and wife Jennifer, John Walker and wife Ana, Eric Walker, Joel Walker, and Carlos Walker; Stephanie Byland and husband Ron, Jeff Waters and wife Kim-Thanh, Julie Martinez and husband Mark; Rebecca Beach and husband Brad, Steven S. Earle, and Ryan Earle.  There are 23 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.  Anita’s husband, her son, Steven H. Earle, and a great grandson, Mason Beach, preceded her in death along with her parents and siblings.

This strong, amazing lady will be dearly missed by her loving family and friends.

Those wishing to make a memorial donation in Anita’s memory are asked to consider her favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 50, Memphis, TN 38101-9929.