Rita Limerick, 83, of Middleboro died March 1, 2009 at the Oak Hill Nursing Home after a period of declining health.
Born in New Bedford, the daughter of the late Christopher J. and Ruth V. (Winsper) Limerick, she lived in New Bedford before moving to Middleboro in 1991.
She was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church in Middleboro and a former communicant of St. Lawrence Church.
Rita was a graduate of Holy Family High School, class of 1943. She was a member of the Nurse Cadet Corps while attending the St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing from which she graduated in 1946.
As a registered nurse she worked in the maternity ward at St. Luke's for several years. She then worked as a pediatric nurse for many years and then as a Charge Nurse at Taber Street Nursing Home before retiring in 1992.
She enjoyed traveling to Hawaii and California and motor touring the New England states and enjoyed being with her nephew and nieces.
She was an avid Boston Red Sox fan and was especially proud of a baseball she received in 1951 from Ted Williams, personally addressed to her, and autographed by him.
Survivors include a brother, Christopher J. Limerick, Jr. of San Diego, CA; a nephew, Joseph T. McCawley, Jr. and his wife Diane E. of Bridgewater; two nieces, Ruth McCawley Geoffroy and her partner George P. Hussey of Middleboro and Rita Maureen McCawley of Venice, FL; two great-nephews, Daniel J. Geoffroy of Taunton and Capt. Kevin P. Geoffroy, U.S.A.F. of Albuquerque, NM.
She was the sister of the late Ruth U. McCawley.
Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, March 6th at 11 AM in St. Lawrence Church. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery. Her family will receive guests on Friday morning from 9 - 10:30 AM at the Saunders-Dwyer Home For Funerals, 495 Park St. New Bedford. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Holy Family-Holy Name School, 91 Summer St., New Bedford, MA 02740.