Anita Louise (Rizzardi) Flood, 85, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, passed away on May 31, 2025. Born on February 1, 1940, in Lynch, KY, she was the daughter of John Joseph Rizzardi of Allegheny, PA and Emma (Peters) Rizzardi of Gulacs, Hungary.  Anita is survived by Patrick, her devoted husband of 63 years.  Together, they raised six children:  John (Beth) Flood of Fort Wayne, IN; Mary (James) Selfe of London, England; Pauline (Scott) Zelkin of Chicago, IL; Anita (Justin) Caulfield of Concord, MA; Patrick (Shannon) Flood of Frederick, MD; and Stephen (Megan) Flood of Andover, MA.  She was a beloved grandmother, known as "Madame" to 15 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

As the spouse of a United States Foreign Service Officer, Anita co-hosted diplomatic receptions worldwide, including for Pope Saint John Paul II and Archbishop Venerable József Mindszenty of Hungary.  She devoted herself to service, volunteering with the Red Cross, Amnesty International, and local charities.  After returning to the U.S., she served on the Board of Holyoke Hospice and was active in Massachusetts Right to Life.

Anita was the epitome of generosity, no one was a stranger and everyone deserved kindness.  She had a rare gift of spreading compassion and left a lasting impact on all those that crossed her path.  She had a wry sense of humor an added flair to every outfit she donned.  She was a gifted seamstress and loved to restore antique furniture.

A funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, August 8, 2025, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 10700 Aboite Center Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46804, with visitation one hour prior.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Elizabeth's or a Catholic Charity of choice.

May she rest in the eternal peace of Christ, surrounded by the love she so freely gave throughout her life.