Rita Sullivan Burgess, 86, Former Beauty Pageant Winner and WWII Marine Corps Poster Girl
Rita Sullivan Burgess died June 11, 2008 in Oceanside, California. Mrs. Burgess was born in Newton Center, Massachusetts and resided in Wellesley for 28 years. She was married to the late Charles D. Burgess, and the couple moved to Pompano Beach, Florida in 1987 following Mr. Burgess’ retirement from Wellesley Senior High School where he taught history.
During World War II Mrs. Burgess was a member of the Women’s Marine Corps Reserve and served at Camp LeJune, North Carolina and at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, California. While at Camp Pendleton, she was chosen to appear in several Marine Corps training and educational films and served as a model for recruitment posters and other war effort publications. Prior to her enlistment Mrs. Burgess entered and won the RKO Theatre Beauty Contest in Boston in 1944 representing the Raytheon Company of Waltham where she had been a defense worker.
Mrs. Burgess was one of 16 children of Jeremiah and Catherine Sullivan of Newton and was a graduate of Sacred Heart High School in Newton Center. After high school she studied at the Museum School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston after winning an art talent contest. She also attended the Wilfred Academy of Hair and Beauty Culture in Boston and was a beautician for many years in several establishments in the area including the shop in the Filenes’s Department store in Wellesley after raising her six children Rita loved her family and friends above all. She was known for hosting delightful family parties where she enjoyed serving endless amounts of her famous homemade recipes.
Mrs. Burgess is pre-deceased by her husband, Charles D. Burgess, Sr. who died in 2003. The Burgesses were in their 60th year of marriage at that time.
She leaves two brothers; Patrick Sullivan, and Thomas Sullivan both of Wellesley; two sisters; Ann Snow of Wellesley, and Theresa D’Attilio of Natick; and a sister-in-law, Mary Tower of Newton.
Mrs. Burgess is survived by three sons; Charles D. Jr. and his wife Catherine of Norwood, David A. of Athens, Georgia, and John A. and his wife Karin of Framingham; three daughters Kathleen H. Burns and her husband Keith of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Elaine J. Hegarty and her husband Kevin of Oceanside, California, and Gail Burgess of Boston; she also leaves 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Funeral from the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington St. Wellesley Thursday at 8 a.m. Funeral Mass in St. Paul’s Church at 9 a.m. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Visiting hours Wed. from 4-8 p.m. Interment Newton Cemetery, Newton.