Mrs. Rita Catherine (Holihan) Wholey, 94, of Haverhill, MA took her final step toward heaven while holding her children’s hands on January 21, 2011 at Wingate of Haverhill.
A lifelong resident of Lawrence, Rita was born to Irish immigrants Thomas and Katherine (Loftus) Holihan. Mrs. Wholey was a graduate of St. Mary’s High School and was a member of St. Mary’s Alumnae.
Rita was extremely proud of having a three veteran family, husband Frank (Army WW II), son Frank Jr. (Navy Vietnam) and herself, achieving the rank of Sergeant while serving in the United States Coast Guard during World War II. While she would go on to work at several jobs in her life, most important to her was caring for her home and family where their needs were always put before hers.
Rita always had a kind word for anyone she met. She was a lover of animals (especially birds), was an avid reader, dancer and fond of keeping up with her friends over the phone; twice a day with her special friend Florence Linehan.
Rita was predeceased by her husband Francis J Wholey, son Francis Jr. (Sandy), sisters Mary (Holihan) Doyle, the first women’s page editor at the Eagle Tribune and Alice Holihan (Sr. Philomine Julie), brothers Joseph Holihan and Thomas Holihan (Brother Rudolph CFX, of St. John’s Prep, Danvers, MA.).
Survivors include her son William T. Wholey of Haverhill, her daughter Mary Kirkpatrick and her husband James of Haverhill, her favorite sister-in-law Virginia Jackson of Andover, dear friend Lana Scully of Merrimac and several nieces and nephews.
Her funeral mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, January 25th, 2011 at 12:30 p.m. in Saint Mary’s Church in Lawrence, MA.
Burial will follow in the Saint Mary’s/Immaculate Conception Cemetery in Lawrence, MA.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to call on Tuesday, January 25th, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon in the John Breen Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., 122 Amesbury Street, Lawrence, MA. For online condolences and other information please go to www.breenfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Lazarus House, 260 Park Street, Lawrence, MA 01841.