Rita Dowd

1926 - 2015

Rita Dowd

1926 - 2015 Rita Delia Dowd, 89, died on November 29, 2015. She was born on March 17, 1926 in Easthampton, MA, the daughter of Pamela Facteau Meyer. She graduated from Malden High School with the class of 1944. Rita met her husband Paul while roller skating. They were married April 30, 1950. They started their life in Woburn, MA and moved to Bennington, VT in 1965 to raise their seven children. In 1993, they retired to Burlington, VT, to make a home with their daughter, Ellen, and her husband, Leigh and their daughters, Jennifer and Laura. Rita had her own hairdressing shop when her children were young. Later, she worked as a department manager for the Grant's Store and the Greenberg's Hardware Store. Patrons sought her out for her knowledge and friendly help. Rita was a devoted wife for 64 years. A loving mother and grandmother. She was an avid bird lover, enjoyed working in her vegetable and flower gardens, cooking, baking, sewing and knitting. She was a reserved, no-nonsense kind of woman whose soft heart was most visible in the company of babies, children, cats and songbirds. Rita is survived by her seven children: Pamela Dowd Drolet (David) of Palm Coast, FL; Paula Dowd Coletti Larry) of Palm Coast, FL; Ernest Paul Dowd (Katherine) of Brattleboro, VT; Linda Dowd Lambert of Amherst, MA; Ellen Dowd Sweet (Leigh) of South Burlington, VT; Celeste Dowd O'Malley of Brattleboro, VT; and Susan Dowd Ellingwood (Mark) of Hancock, NH. She leaves 12 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and many nieces, nephews, and friends. Her beloved husband Paul and her dear granddaughter, Molly McNeil Dowd, predeceased her in 2014. SERVICES: Gifts in Rita's honor may be given to Kids In Coats, United Way of Windham County : www.unitedwaywindham.org Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, December 3rd from 5:30 to 7:30p.m. at Jellison Funeral Home, 25 Concord St., Peterborough, NH. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Friday, December 4th at 11a.m. at Saint Patrick Church, 89 Main Street, Jaffrey, NH. Reverend Wilfred Deschamps, pastor, will be the Celebrant. Jellison Funeral Home and Cremation Services is assisting the family with arrangements. To view an online obituary or to leave the family a condolence, please visit : www.jellisonfuneralhome.com