Rita S. Wetherell

Rita S. Wetherell, 81 of Gales Ferry, passed away on Sunday February 18, 2024 at her home, surrounded by the love of her family after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

She was born October 21, 1942, in Rockville, Connecticut to Henry Stutz and Mary Doboz Stutz. She married Richard B. Wetherell Jr., he survives her.

Rita graduated from Rockville High School where she met Dick, her husband of 63 years. They married on October 29,1960 and lived in both Tolland and Gales Ferry. They raised four children together.

Rita and Dick enjoyed travel with friends to Europe, the Caribbean and most of the United States. Rita was well known as a gourmet cook and an avid gardener. She enjoyed her cozy home and spent time there with both friends and family. She was the matriarch of the family and will be greatly missed.

Besides her loving husband Dick, she is survived by Son: Richard Wetherell III; Daughters: Dawn White and her partner Robert Mullen, April Senuta and her husband Thomas Senuta Jr, Mary Wetherell and her partner Julius Irvin. Rita and Dick were later blessed with 8 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. 

Visitation will be held from 4:00pm to 6:00pm Friday February 23, 2024 at the Byles Groton Memorial Home, 310 Thames Street in Groton.  Funeral Services will be held 11:00am Saturday February 24, 2024 at the Byles Groton Memorial Home.  Interment will follow at Avery Stoddard Cemetery in Gales Ferry.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Rita’s memory may be made to Center of Hospice Care Southeastern Connecticut, 227 Dunham Street, Norwich CT 06360 or to the Ron Foley Foundation Fighting Pancreatic Cancer, 1000 Farmington Avenue, Suite 108A, Hartford, CT 06107.