M. Annita (Rogers) Rimmer, 88, of New Bedford died November 11, 2007 at New Bedford Health Care Center after a period of declining health. She was the wife of the late J. Clinton Rimmer.
Born in New Bedford, the daughter of the late Charles H. and Jennie J. (McCawley) Rogers, she lived in New Bedford for most of her life. She was a graduate of Holy Family High School and St. Anne's Hospital School of Nursing.
She was a communicant of Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church.
Mrs. Rimmer attended Bridgewater State College and U-Mass Dartmouth, becoming certified in Early Childhood Education. She taught for many years as a kindergarten teacher in New Bedford, retiring from St. James-St. John's School and Westport Country Day School.
Mrs. Rimmer was a member of the Diocesan Council of Catholic Nurses Association, a member and former treasurer of the Holy Name Women's Guild, and a hospice volunteer at St. Luke's Hospital. She was a former member and secretary of the former Holy Name Parish Council and C.C.D. teacher in the religious education program of the parish, New Bedford Catholic Women's Club, Southeastern Massachusetts Association for Education of young children, Holy Name Couples Club and a friend of the Franciscan Friars of Loretto, PA.
Survivors include five daughters, Mary Jane Rimmer-Doherty, and her husband James, and Margaret A. Ferreira, and her husband Thomas, all of Mattapoisett, Anne E. Motta, and her husband Frank, of Westport, Susan H. Desnoyers, and her husband Dennis, of New Bedford, and Martha V. Simmons, and her companion Terje "Sam" Tonnessen, of Fairhaven; a niece, Sandra Charves of Westport; a nephew, James M. Rogers of Falmouth; 14 grandchildren, Hans Doherty, Gregory, Andrew, Sarah and Christopher Motta, Mark, Jane, Kristen and Matthew Ferreira, Alex, Kaitlin and Joanna Desnoyers, Joshua and Timothy Simmons; and 11 great-grandchildren.
She was the sister of the late James Rogers and Charles H. Rogers, Jr.
Funeral from the Saunders-Dwyer Home For Funerals, 495 Park St. New Bedford Thursday, November 15th at 9 AM. Funeral Mass at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church at 10 AM. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Wednesday, November 14th from 3-7 PM. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Holy Family-Holy Name School, 91 Summer St., New Bedford, MA 02740 or Southcoast Hospice, 200 Mill Rd., Fairhaven, MA 02719.