HAVERHILL: Rita M. (Fitzgerald) Lalumiere, 90, died Tuesday, June 16, 2015 at Wingate of Haverhill. She was the wife of the late Robert A. Lalumiere with whom she shared fifty-eight years of marriage.
Born in Haverhill on November 18, 1924, she was the daughter of the late Harry J. and Martha I. (Boner) Fitzgerald. She had resided in Bradford and Carlisle, PA for many years before moving to Merrimac. She enjoyed wintering in Florida for the past thirty years. Rita was a graduate of Haverhill High School class of 1942.
Rita owned and operated Bradford Economat along with her husband, Robert. She was employed at Dickenson Law School in Carlisle, PA. Rita was also employed at Whittier Technical High School, where she enjoyed working with children until her retirement in 1986. Rita always considered her most cherished job, raising and loving her eight children.
She was a lifelong member of Sacred Hearts Church. A member of Sweet Adeline’s International Singing Organization for sixty-four years, she directed and sang on a chapter level, regional level and international level as well as a member of various musical quartets. She went on to be the President and Director of two choruses traveling throughout the United States and London, where she had the honor of singing for the Queen on her 25th Jubilee.
She is survived by her six children, Daniel and his wife, Doreen Lalumiere of Boca Raton, FL, Martin Lalumiere of Haverhill, Kathleen and her husband, Gregory DiBurro of Newton, NH, Susan Lalumiere of Merrimac, Lisa and her husband, Jack Marand of Salem, NH and Joseph and his wife, Michelle Lalumiere of Haverhill; sixteen grandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; a daughter-in-law, Victoria Porto of Carlisle, PA and several nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by her daughter, Janet Lalumiere, son, Michael Lalumiere, brother, Harry Fitzgerald and daughter-in-law, Constance Lalumiere.
Visiting hours will be held on Friday, June 19th in the Linnehan-Grondin Funeral Home, 52 Salem St., Bradford from 5 - 8 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, June 20th in Sacred Hearts Church, 165 South Main St., Bradford at 11:30 am. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. Interment will be held in the Elmwood Cemetery in Bradford. Expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701.