Mulvane - Boggs, LaRita Joy 72, died Friday, November 17th, 2017. She was born January 24th, 1945 to Dorothy and Orville Smith in Newton, Kansas. LaRita grew up on a farm near Hesston, had a great life there and loved the Hesston community. She graduated from Newton High School, and then attended Emporia State Teachers College before getting married, at age 20 for a brief time. OOPS! She later met her soulmate, Steve Boggs, a Retired United States Navy Commander. The two were married for 22 years before Steve's passing in 2006. LaRita said their time together was absolutely the best of her life. She loved dogs, and always had a K-9 companion close by. She was a great organizer, enjoyed sailing, hunting, 5th wheel camping, fishing, and any outdoor adventure. Anyone fortunate enough to know LaRita would recognize her contagious positive attitude and joyous spirit about life. Many shared that she was "such a neat lady" and "was a hoot" to be around. She is preceded in death by her parents, Dorothy and Orville Smith; husband, Steve Boggs.
LaRita is survived by her brother, Fredric Smith; sister-in-law, Patricia Smith; nephews, Douglas Smith, Donald Smith; nieces, Lori Schneider, Lisa Wilson; and several great nieces and nephews. A visitation will be held Friday, November 24, 2017 from 1-8pm with family greeting friends from 2-5pm at Smith Family Mortuary 1415 N. Rock Rd. Derby, KS. Burial will take place at a later time in Jacksonville, Florida at Jacksonville Memory Gardens. Memorials may be made to Kansas Humane Society.