Rita Marie Dillon, 72
Dateline: Mansfield, MA
Rita Marie Dillon, age 72, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family Sunday December 8th, 2019. Rita was born in Providence, Rhode Island on September 6th, 1947, the youngest of 4 sisters and one brother to Edwin and Madonna Smith. Cherished wife of Donald B. Dillon of Mansfield, MA.
Rita was a dedicated mother who worked two jobs to raise her daughters, Beth (Hayner) Martinez and Jenna Hayner. She always made sure that her children never needed for anything. She had a gypsy soul and beautiful golden hair that her children remember most of all as they cuddled on her lap. She always made time to jump in puddles with her girls and dance in the rain, twirl to James Taylor. She made Christmas a magical time with trips to La Salette, jammies the night before and waking up to amazing amounts of presents.
She graduated from Rittner’s School of Floral Design in Providence. Rita worked at Darios in Mansfield and the Ancient Mariner in Foxboro in the 80’s and made many friends she continued to speak to over the years.
She met the love of her life, soul mate, and partner-in-Crime, Don and they married in 1981. Together they traveled all of the continental United States collecting treasures and memories. They often took their tiny side-kick and granddaughter, Caitlin Martinez.
She had many great passions. These included raising lovebirds, breeding poodles, quilting, art, illustration and crafts, and photography. She owned a ceramic studio where she taught people how to paint beautiful objects while lifting their spirits with her stories. She loved her family deeply and was interested in working on her family heritage.
She is survived by her husband Don, daughters Jenna and Beth and husband Rich Salz and granddaughter Caitlin Martinez. She was the stepmother of Susan White and her husband Dan and their children, Tara Maranucci, Ryan White and Josh White. She was the sister of Nancy Silva, Marilyn Mainelli and the late Joe Smith, Barbara Tarsa and Jacquelyn Spies.
Her funeral Mass, to which relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend, will be celebrated on Friday, December 13th at 10:30 A.M. in Saint Mary’s Church, 330 Pratt St. (Route 106) Mansfield. Burial will follow at Knollwood Memorial Park in Canton.
Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, December 12th from 5:00-8:00 P.M. at the Sherman & Jackson Funeral Home, 55 North Main St., Mansfield.
To send her family a message of condolence, please visit www.shermanjackson.com