Rita Jean (Bowden) Lagueux Winn

Rita Jean (Bowden) Lagueux-Winn, 84, of Rogers, Arkansas, passed away peacefully on September 24, 2025, surrounded by the love of her family.

Born October 3, 1940, in Bangor, Maine, Rita was the daughter of the late Louville Edmund Bowden and Dorothy Ellen (Fitts) Bowden. On October 18,1958 in Biddeford, Maine, she married the love of her life, Richard Adrian Lagueux Sr., who preceded her in death on April 2, 1997. On November 7, 2009 Rita married Edward Elsworth Winn who also preceded her in death.

Rita will be remembered as a little spitfire with a generous spirit, a gift for making friends wherever she went, and a Grammy whose love knew no bounds. She served as the organist at St Phillips Catholic church in Lyman, Maine, for many years, and later became a dedicated member of the New Sulphur Freewill Baptist Women’s Auxiliary in Prairie Grove, Arkansas. Rita’s love for music began in 5th grade with piano and organ, and it became a lifelong passion that filled her home and church with melody. Her heart found joy and peace in the voices and songs of her grandchildren, and her soul was renewed by the simple beauty of their music. She nurtured life in her flowerbeds and expressed creativity through knitting, sewing, and cross-stitching, but it was the warm embrace of her family that filled her soul with the greatest love and contentment.

Family was Rita’s proudest legacy. Her happiest summer weekends were spent with her grandkids, savoring lobster bodies and tossing the legs out the window on the drive home. She was the glue that held us together and the proudest Grammy, she never hesitated to let her voice ring loudest in the crowd when it came to cheering for those she loved.

Rita is survived by her children: Richard A. Lagueux Jr. and wife Donna, Patricia Gove and husband John, James A. Lagueux Sr. and wife Jocelyn, and loving daughter Judith Lagueux and husband Kevin Linn. She was blessed with 10 grandchildren—James Lagueux Jr., Heather Mehlhorn, Anthony Lagueux, Corwin Lagueux, Holli Mejia, Ashley Mason, Ross Johnston, Amy Lagueux, Taylor Baker, and Noah Baker—and 16 great-grandchildren, all of whom will carry forward her love and lessons.

For much of her life, Rita believed she had siblings but never knew how many. In her later years, she was given the priceless gift of finally hugging the neck, kissing the cheek and holding the hand of her sister, Celeste Beaupré.

Rita’s life was a vibrant testament of faith, wrapped in the embrace of family, and enriched by the company of friends. She leaves behind an endless legacy of love, laughter, music and memories that will surpass the test of time.

Rita’s Celebration of life will be on Saturday, October 4th 2025 from 1pm – 5pm at 702 Kingswood Dr, Rogers, AR 72756

Memorial gifts may be made to Circle of Life in memory of Rita to support patients and families at Circle of Life, 901 Jones Road, Springdale, AR 72762 or www.giftstocircle.org

Burial will be in the Goodwins Mills Cemetery in Lyman, Maine at a later date.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Backstrom-Pyeatte Funeral Home in Springdale, AR. To sign the online guestbook, please

visit www.backstrom-pyeatte.com.