Rita Arlene Pongetti

Rita Arlene Heidinger Pongetti (Moody) passed away peacefully on April 24, 2025 in Tucson, Arizona from Alzheimer’s Disease. Rita was born in Upland, CA on 12/12/1942 to Leonard and Helen Moody. She was their only child. She grew up in Sunnyvale, CA and graduated from Sunnyvale High School in 1960. She married Lance Heidinger in 1963 and had daughters Shannon and Pamela. Although divorced, they had a kind and respectful relationship and shared many fun times with their extended families. She met J. Victor Pongetti in 1987 while serving on the St. Joseph’s Foundation Board in Albuquerque, NM. They were married in a surprise wedding ceremony in 1992. They enjoyed hiking the Grand Canyon, traveling to Europe, and being with their children and grandchildren. Rita graduated from San Jose State University and received her master’s degree at the University of New Mexico. She had many careers, but her true love was creating art in many ways. She started working with glass in 1998 designing and fabricating stained glass windows and outside sculpture pieces. She started Dreamweavers Glass, Glass for the Imagination where she produced a line of fused glass jewelry, windchimes, and outside sculpture pieces which she sold in galleries and at art festivals all over the state of New Mexico. She loved the art of creating something that could go anywhere.

Rita is predeceased by her husband Vic and survived by her daughters Shannon Adragna (Jeff) and Pamela Heidinger and her bonus daughter Gina Beauchamp (Sandy). She is also survived by grandchildren Nicolas Adragna, Mathew Adragna, Grant Chavez, Dennis Chavez, Ben Beauchamp (Abigail), Emma Beauchamp, Luke Beauchamp (Alexandria) and great-grandson Desmond Beauchamp.

The family would like to extend their deepest appreciation to Nancy Brown, Israel Valenzuela, Laura Day, Rachel Stipek at Uplift Hospice, the caring staff at The Cottages Memory Care facility, in addition to all the wonderful caregivers she had during the last 5 Years.

A Celebration of Life will be held Monday, May 12th at 10:00am in the Marana Mortuary Chapel, 12146 W Barnett Road, AZ 85653. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Rita’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association of America.