Rita A. Fratus, 77, long-time resident of Windham, New Hampshire living in Colorado with her daughter, Son-In-Law and Grandson, died June 22, 2016 in Fort Collins, Colorado due to natural causes.
Rita was born June 29, 1938 in Lawrence, Massachusetts. She was the second of three children born to Roland and Marie Bazin. She attended St. Patrick’s School in Lawrence and took great pride in her parochial education. She loved to reminisce about going to dances with her friends, playing high school Girls’ Basketball and getting kicked out of choir with her friends for being too chatty.
Rita married Thomas A. Fratus July 27, 1958, after meeting him through a high school friend. Tom swept her off her feet, a dashing figure in an Air Force uniform. They raised 6 children together and spent nearly 48 years married before his passing in 2005. Tom was the love of her life. Rita was a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother.
Rita began her working life as a clerk in Woolworth’s. She seriously considered becoming a nun during high school, but began nursing school instead. She left nursing school to marry and raise her children. When all of them were of school age, she began working as an aide in Windham Center School, where she assisted by helping special needs students learn to read. Her next career for the remaining 19 years of her working life was as an IRS employee. Yes, indeed, Rita was a Tax Examiner at the Andover branch of the IRS and proud of it. She often said the people were nice and it was a good job. She distinguished herself enough to be offered the level of Supervisor and received several awards during her service to the U.S. Government.
Rita was extremely proud to be a Girl Scout Leader & Lifelong Member. She collected patches and pins from her many travels with the Girl Scouts and sewed them all onto one special jacket. She was also an active member in St. Matthew’s Church for over 40 years, as well as a member of the Ladies Guild, the Windham Firefighter’s Women’s Auxiliary and after retirement became a Polling Assistant for many elections.
Her hobbies included being an avid reader, crocheting, arts & crafts, travelling, trying new recipes, watching old monster movies, doting on her grandchildren and catering to her husband. She lovingly decorated many a wedding or birthday cake for families and friends. Rita was an avid collector of AnnaLee dolls, a big fan of the color blue and loved shiny costume jewelry.
Rita is survived by four children: Monica Dowe and her husband Walter, Laura Rainone and her husband John, Alison Weber and her husband David, Allan Fratus and his wife Wanda as well as four grand children, Adam Weber, Christopher Weber, Julianne Rainone and Tyler Fratus and her older brother, Dr. Roland Bazin."
Friends and relatives are invited to calling hours on Sunday, June 26th from 2-4 PM at the Kenneth H. Pollard Funeral Home, 233 Lawrence St, Methuen, MA. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Monday, June 27th at 11 AM at St. Matthew’s Church, 2 Searles Rd, Windham, NH. Entombment will follow in Eternal Light Mausoleum, Salem, NH. For directions or to send an online condolence to the Rita's family, please visit www.pollardfuneralhome.com. The Kenneth H. Pollard Funeral Home is honored to serve the Fratus family.