Meet Rita Merchant, the stepmother of Chelsea DeBoer, and wife of her dad Randy Houska. After Chelsea’s new show Down Home Fab was announced, fans wondered if her dad would star in the show. And who is he currently married to?
Get to know Rita with his article where we explore details about her age, job, and more.
Meet Rita Merchant, Randy Houska Wife
Rita Merchant is the wife of Randy Houska. According to Rita’s FB, they married on 3 August 2009 at Chapel in the Hills in Rapid City, South Dakota during the 2009 rally. They reportedly met each other in 2006 at Rita’s parents’ home while both of them were going through a personal crisis.
Randy wrote on his FB, “a few months later, it led me into the loving arms of Rita Merchant Houska, who was traveling down the same road. Our paths intersected and we both learned about unwavering love, complete trust, and enjoyment of life.”
On their most recent wedding anniversary in August 2022, Randy posted on his FB, “Time flies when you are having fun. It seems like the blink of an eye and 13 years have passed by since, for some reason, Rita went ahead with marrying me. The Chapel in the Hills was our location with family and friends, then hopped on the Harley, and off we went. Adventures are not completed, they are extended and ours is never-ending. I can’t wait to see where the next road leads, it will surely be sweet because we will be together.”
Fans of Teen Mom 2 remember Randy Houska as Chelsea DeBoer’s father. He appeared on the show and advised her when she was a new mom. Still supportive as ever, Randy promoted his daughter on his Twitter, “Don’t forget to tune in to @hgtv tonight at 8 pm CST for season 1 episode 1 of #DownHomeFab !!”
In Vermillion, South Dakota, Randy Houska, a dentist, is the proprietor of the Houska Dental Clinic. In 1989, shortly after graduating from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry, he established his business with a small, close-knit group of people committed to dental excellence.
Additionally, Randy worked in 2023 at the New Horizon Dental Center in Tempe, Arizona. Additionally, he was a board member of the Vermillion Chamber and Development Company and a former president of the St. Agnes School Board, Rotary, United Way of Vermillion, and the Knights of Columbus.
Chelsea is the star of her own brand new show Down Home Fab.
Do Rita Merchant And Randy Houska Have Children?
Rita Merchant and Randy Houska don’t share any children together but they have kids from their previous marriage/relationship. According to FamousBirthdays, Randy is a father of 6. Four of the six children are Teen Mom 2 star Chelsea Houska, and her three older sisters; Melissa, Angie, and Emily who rarely appeared on MTV’s reality show.
Randy’s daughter Emily is a mother of three children; two daughters, Braylee and Malea, and a son, Kysen, who was born in 2019. She got married in 2020 and is working as a correctional officer. Another daughter Angie is a mom of a son named Noah and a daughter who welcomed a baby boy named Elijah in August 2017 making her a grandmother.
Melissa is a married woman. Her husband Eric works in the military. They have a daughter named Isabelle. They also briefly lived in Germany.
Like Randy, Rita also has children from her previous marriage. She has a daughter named Mandi Graves Mueller and a son named Jesse Graves.
Mandi is a mother of three sons and a daughter. Her oldest son turned 12 in November 2020, her second son Gavin turned 10 in December 2022, and her youngest son is 6 years old recently celebrating his birthday on 3 January 2023.
Rita’s son Jesse lives in Yankton, South Dakota, and is married to Katie Graves since 25 July 2015.
Rita Merchant Age
Rita Merchant was born in January 1958. So in January 2023, she turned 65 years old.
Rita Merchant Job
Rita Merchant is a businesswoman who is currently running her own business called Rita’s of Yankton/Custer. Her business focus on providing “beautiful floral arrangements, home decor for all tastes, and reclaimed furniture restored with beautiful colors of chalk paint.”
They also have a wide variety of purses, jewelry, a wide variety of baby and toddler clothing, accessories, decor, and sunglasses to choose from. In addition to that, they also provide other services like ear piercing. The business is located in two different locations; downtown Yankton, SD & a seasonal shop located between Hill City, SD&Custer, SD with a store called Boyd’s Antiques.
The business also has an online presence. Here’s its Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. They are also listed on Yankton’s business site.
Rita and her husband are also avid Cornhuskers and the University of South Dakota Coyote fans. They love to attend as many games as possible.
Is Rita Merchant On Instagram?
Yes, Rita Merchant is on Facebook (@rita.merchanthouska) and Instagram (@ritasofyankton).
Rita Merchant Family
Rita Merchant is yet to share about her parents and another family member. However, her husband gave an insight into her folks. In March 2019, Randy shared that he and his wife got the opportunity to purchase Rita’s father’s home. Her mother passed away in the same home “looking peacefully over the lake she loved, with the family that adored her.”
Randy and Rita hoped that the house will be the place where their grandchild with play and make memories.
Another family member Rita shared about is her cousin Barry Gilman.
Talking about Randy’s family, he is the son of Iner Lloyd Houska. Randy also had a brother named Patrick Andrew Houska who served in the Navy during Vietnam. Sadly, he passed away in an auto accident when Randy was only 5 years. At the time of his accident, he was on a leave on 19 October 1967. He was born on 11 January 1944.
Related FAQs
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When Is Rita Merchant Birthday?
Rita Merchant celebrates her birthday on 10 January.
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Where Is Rita Merchant From?
Rita calls South Sioux City, Nebraska her hometown. But, she is currently based in Vermillion, South Dakota.
