Avis Darlene Pitcher, age 67, of Wells, died Monday, Feb. 23, 2004, at the Albert Lea Medical Center in Albert Lea from complications of cancer.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, at St. Casimir Catholic Church in Wells. The Rev. Eugene Stenzel will officiate. Visitation will be held at Bruss-Heitner Funeral Home in Wells from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, with a prayer service at 6 p.m., and continues one hour prior to services at the church on Thursday with rosary at 9:15 a.m. Interment will be in Rosehill Cemetery, Wells.

Avis was born on March 20, 1936, in Blue Earth, the daughter of Neil and Marvel (Spencer) Anderson. She graduated from Wells High School in 1955, and was homecoming queen her senior year. She married James Rathai in 1960 in Minnesota Lake; they were later divorced. In 1970 she married Donald Pitcher in Sioux Falls, S.D. He preceded her in death in 1995.

She was employed by Grewe’s Jewelry Store in Wells and Swift-Eckrich (ConAgra) Foods. Avis was a member of St. Casimir Catholic Church in Wells and enjoyed spending time with her family and friends, bingo, camping, fishing and dancing.

She is survived by her companion and special friend, Jim Rathai of Wells;

four children: Troy Rathai and special friend Rebecca Johnson of Downing, Wis., Tracy (wife Patty) Rathai of Wells, Jill (husband Donald) Rathai-Farley of Wells, and Todd (wife Trish) Pitcher of Somerset, Wis.; 11 grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and numerous nieces and nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Donald Pitcher; and one brother, Arden Anderson.