Rita E. (Cormier) Smith passed away on Sunday April 24, 2016 in the loving care of the staff at Oakdale Nursing Home where she lived and was loved for the last year. Appreciation is not a strong enough word to express the gratitude felt toward all of those who cared for her there.
Rita was born on July 20, 1921 to Amedee and Mary L. (Hanks) Cormier in Worcester and was raised in Millbury, MA. Her husband of 64 years, Leonard Smith and son Robert L. Smith predeceased her.
Rita leaves her daughter Barbara A. and son-in-law Michael H. Mard of West Boylston; her son, Richard E. Smith of Lantana, Florida; her brother, Rev. William N. Cormier of Yarmouth, MA and the apple of her eye granddaughter, Chelsea Smith Mard and her fiancé Andrew Beaupre. Rita also leaves 10 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins. Besides her husband and son she is also predeceased by her sister, Louise White and brothers, Paul, Raymond and Robert Cormier.
Rita and Len lived in West Boylston for 31 years raising their three children. Once retired in 1985, they moved to St. Petersburg with many of their Travel Club friends.
Barbara and Rich know they were blessed to have the most wonderful parents anyone could hope for and while saddened at the loss of their mother, happy she has joined her husband Leonard and son Bobby in Heaven where she is busily chatting with all those who went before her living up to her nick name of Chatty Rita.
A visiting hour for Rita will be held on Thursday, April 28th from 9:00 until 10:00 am at FAY BROTHERS Funeral Home, 1 West Boylston St. followed by a Funeral Mass at 10:30 am at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, 111 Worcester St. Burial will be in Mt. Vernon Cemetery. Flowers may be sent or memorial donations may be made to the Patient Activities Fund, c/o Oakdale Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, 76 North Main St., West Boylston, MA 01583.