Rita Kaye Highbaugh, 72, passed away, Friday, November 18,2022 at her home in Elizabethtown. She was born in Bonnieville, Kentucky to Ottis and Faye Highbaugh on October 28, 1950. Rita graduated from Munfordville High School in 1968. She attended Western Kentucky University, graduating with her Bachelor's degree in 1972. After graduating from Western, she moved to Washington, D.C. where she began working for Senator Marlow Cook after working there as a summer intern in college. She worked for Senator Cook from 1972 to 1974. She then worked for Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens. She worked as a political adviser in various national campaigns. She received her Juris Doctorate from Potomac School of Law in 1981. After working in government, Rita began working for Cellular One while it was in the initial stages in the Washington D.C. area where she was the vice president of marketing. She traveled throughout the country in the beginning stages of marketing cellular services. Rita was very active in fastpitch softball in Washington D.C. from 1973-1993 as a pitcher. She pitched in 7 national tournaments and won 4 Central Atlantic Championships. She pitched 3 no-hitters and won many most valuable pitcher awards and all tourney teams. She served as Commissioner of East Coast Travel League and was named to the Greater Washington Fastpitch Softball Hall of Fame in 1998. She was an ASA umpire for 20 years ln Washington D.C. Rita moved to Elizabethtown in 1994 and began teaching social studies at Central Hardin. She was an advisor for the Y Club for many years and instrumental in it becoming a very active club. Rita was inducted into the Kentucky YMCA Advisor Hall of Fame in 2018. She received her Masters in Education from Western in 1997 and completed her Rank I while teaching at Central. Rita retired from teaching at Central in 2017. Rita loved softball and Central Hardin athletics. She brought her knowledge of fastpitch softball to the area. She worked as an umpire and coached many pitchers in the area as fastpitch was just beginning in the area. She was an assistant and head coach for Central Hardin fastpitch softball and was head coach when they won their first regional championship in 2004. She was also instrumental in the beginning of volleyball at Central Hardin where she served as an assistant coach from its beginning in 2000 to the present. She kept the clock for Central Hardin boys' and girls' basketball for many years. Rita was a former member of Bonnieville Baptist Church where she became a Christian. She was a current member of Severns Valley Baptist Church. She loved talking politics and sports. She was proud to be a Kentucky Colonel. She loved playing cards with her friends from Central Hardin, but what she loved most was her family. She was preceded in death by her mother, Faye Caswell Highbaugh; her infant brother, Michael Ray Highbaugh; and her grandparents, Chester and Lettie Caswell and Thurman and Addie Highbaugh. She is survived by her father, Ottis Highbaugh; two sisters, Benita (Terry) Buckles and Shirley (Richard) Haslar, all of Elizabethtown; a brother, Tim Highbaugh of Munfordville; six nieces and nephews that she loved dearly, Sean (Vicky) Young of Bowling Green, Chris (Lynn) Young of Elizabethtown, Kasey (Matthew Blazejewski) Buckles of South Bend, Indiana, Kelly (David) Fish of Nashville, Tennessee, Thad (Jen) Highbaugh of Lexington and Lindsay (Collin) Gamble of Louisville. She also had 10 great nieces and nephews that she loved seeing and hearing about their many activities. They are Zack, Gavan, lsaac and Logan young, Myla and Luke Blazejewski, Lofton Fish and Elliana, Emery and Aria Highbaugh. She had a close and dear friend, Judy Judy, that she cared for like family. She is also survived by two aunts and several cousins. The funeral is Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Brown Funeral Home in Elizabethtown with Bro. Mike Bell officiating. Burial follows in Memory Park Cemetery in Bonnieville. Visitation will be Tuesday from 3 to 8 p.m. and continues after 12 Noon Wednesday at the funeral home. Condolences may be expressed online at brownfuneral.com.

Visitation:

Tuesday, November 22, 2022 from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Brown Funeral Home

Wednesday, November 23, 2022 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Brown Funeral Home

Service:

Wednesday, November 23, 2022 starting at 2:00 PM
Brown Funeral Home