Rita Ortega Preston

Rita Ortega Preston, 69, of Pampa, passed away at her home on Wednesday. December 13, 2023.

Graveside services will at 2:00 PM on Monday. December 18, 2023 at the Memory Gardens Mausoleum with Pastor Jim Sinyard, pastor at Carpenter’s Church, officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors and Crematory.

Rita was born on November 7, 1954 in Capul, Northern Samar, a small island in the Philippines, to Sofriano Vergara and Clara Ortega Vergara. She met the love of her life, Mark Preston, while he was in the military. They were married on July 22, 1981 in Honolulu, Hawaii, where they lived for eight years. They later moved to San Diego, California then to Bremerton, Washington. Rita and Mark lived in Washington for several years before his final tour of duty took them back to California from 1992 to 1995. They then moved to Amarillo and eventually settled in Pampa in 2008.

She was extremely proud when became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 2005. Rita was a devoted wife that took pride in making a beautiful home, no matter where they were at. She enjoyed fishing with Mark and crocheting. Rita was a wonderful cook and loved to feed those around her. She was the rock for Mark’s life and always kept the house together when work would take him away.

Rita was preceded in death by her parents.

She is survived by her husband, Mark Preston of the home; one son, Ernesto Vergara and wife Sarah of Mukilteo, Washington; two sisters-in-law, Joan Eccles of Hinton, Oklahoma and Casey Preston of Amarillo; two grandchildren; and numerous other family members.