Rita M. Connors
October 22, 1928 ~ May 20, 2015
Mrs. Rita M. Connors passed away peacefully on Wednesday, with her husband at her side, as always. Born in Boston in 1928, she was the older sister to brothers Edward and Robert. Rita was a national spelling bee finalist and valedictorian of her high school before attending Regis College. She married John J. Connors in 1950. John and Rita relocated to Cinnaminson, NJ where they raised their 5 children. They returned to their New England roots after 50 years in NJ, to be closer to their grandchildren.
Rita was adored by all who knew her. Her life revolved around her children and grandchildren. Her smile, wit, kindness, and generosity made her a magnet to friends and family alike. All who entered her home were family to her.
She was legendary for her apple pies, beautiful singing voice, infectious laugh, high intelligence, and clever wit. She enjoyed painting, swimming, gardening, and really bad B movies. In later years, when dementia took her mind, it never touched her sweet spirit. She was loved by her caretakers at Brooksby Village, who felt the kindness of her soul in her eyes and in her touch.
Rita is survived by her husband of 65 years, John, and her children Cheryl (Willis) of Pennsylvania, Karen (Ela) of Connecticut, Daniel of New Jersey, Lisa (Miles) of Massachusetts, and predeceased by her beloved son, Brien. Rita adored her grandchildren, Melanie and Richard (Willis); Ryan, Christopher, and Michele (Ela); and Wesley and Connor (Miles), as well as great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other family members.
A celebration of Rita’s life will be held on June 5th at 11:30am, at the Brooksby Village Chapel, 300 Brooksby Village Dr, Peabody, MA.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Rita’s memory to: MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 1300, Boston, MA 02114.
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Aunt Rita you will be missed, you and Dad were so much alike and always trying to entertain Rilla with the grandchildren. May you rest in peace be free now and enjoy you eternal rest.
One of my favorite memories of Mom was what I lovingly refer to as the ‘Great Buttery Mess’. We were visiting John and Rita at 360 Wedgewood and I was getting ready to watch a movie on TV. Mom came down and asked if I would like some popcorn. Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE popcorn, so I accepted. Unfortunately, I forgot that butter was considered its own food group in the Connors household. When cooking anything…and I mean ANYTHING, you could always count on butter being added.
When she came down with the bowl of popcorn, it looked wet. Not damp. Not moist. Every kernel was completely saturated in melted butter. So much so, I had a hard time holding on to anything because it literally slipped out of my fingers.
I ate enough to be considerate and left the rest to coagulate. Later she asked me why there was so much left over. I told her that it was very rich and didn’t want to upset my stomach. She sat down and ate the rest of the bowl while I silently gagged. To this day, it still amazes me how she could eat that mess.