Life truly is a tapestry and like all tapestries life is sewn together one stitch at a time. Rita Lacouture sewed her tapestry of life over the course of more than nine decades filled with life and love. Those 96 years were sewn together with hard work, some tears, lots of laughter, the patience that onlya mother of ten children could have, the marriage of nearly 60 years to a man named Chuck and most of all the faith of someone who, as a young girl, looked into the eyes of a holy man who would one day be declared a saint. Every day for 96 years Rita Lacouture sewed her tapestry of life. Rita M. Lacouture, 96, of Brockton died Thursday evening August 5, 2021 athome. She was the loving wife of the late Emile V. “Chuck” Lacouture. Chuck and Rita were married on August 12, 1946 and shared over 58 years together until his passing in 2004.
Rita was born on November 13, 1924 at the family home on the Bessette farm near the village of Franklin, Vermont, just a stone’s throw from the Canadian border. She was a daughter of the late Philias and Angeline (Bouchard) Bessette. Her early years were spent on the farm and she received her education in the convent school in Saint-Armand, Quebec, Canada. The effects of the Great Depression, and its impact on their family farm, brought Rita and her family to Bridgewater, Massachusetts. As her first language was French, Rita quickly learned English and was a member of Bridgewater High School, Class of 1943. In the years after high school she attended Brockton Business School for bookkeeping, office and secretarial skills. Upon her marriage in 1946 she would remain a lifelong resident of Brockton.
In her earlier years she worked at Lanoue shoe store on Legion Parkway. Rita was employed as an office assistant and bookkeeper for Campello-Keith Oil Company for over 20 years. Lastly Rita worked as the office manager for RJ Messina General Contractors Inc. for 15 years. Rita was a longtime communicant of the former Sacred Heart Church and was a member of Christ the King Parish since the 2004 merger of Sacred Heart and St. Colman parishes.As the mother of a family of ten children Rita’s life centered around family activies. She was very involved with Sacred Heart School as all of her children and many of her grandchildren attended the parish school and shewas a Cub Scout mother to her own and many other neighborhood children.
Rita was an exceptionally talented seamstress and could create anything she wanted. A veritable textile artist, just give her the pattern, materials andtime and Rita could produce a dress or gown to rival anything in New York or Paris. Rita’s sewing room in the attic of her home was in reality her
studio. It was her room to create clothing but also to have time to herself. Anyone in Rita and Chuck’s house could hear the rumbling vibration of her sewing machine from above and know that meant that Rita was occupied for the time being in her personal oasis. She created many costumes for school plays, hemmed and sewed countless articles of clothing and was the go-to lady for any number of brides or bridesmaids. On more than one occasion Rita was the “Wedding Dress 911” for a “Dress Emergency”. But fear not! No bride ever had any problems with her dress when Rita was on the case.
Rita led a very active life that extended well into her retirement years. She enjoyed a number of trips to Florida and Colorado, back to Vermont and Quebec to visit relatives and a memorable trip to France. She was also a member of the TOPS club as she kept active and fit through yard work and exercise.
Rita was a relative of the recently canonized Catholic Saint Brother Andre Bessette,CSC of Montreal (Congregation of Holy Cross Priests and Brothers). As a young girl Rita met Brother Andre (Frere Andre) in person with her parents while they were visiting St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montreal, Quebec.
Rita is survived by her children Joseph E. Lacouture and his wife Paula of Brockton, Emilie J. Lacouture of Holbrook, MaryEllen Leonard and her husband Gary of Brockton, Philip E. Lacouture and his wife Dona of Brockton, William H. Lacouture and his wife Sherrie of Bridgewater, Agnes Messina and her husband Ross of Bridgeton, Maine, Anne M. Lacouture-Bailey, M.D. and her late husband John Bailey (who passed away in 2020) of Ft. Myers, Florida, James P. Lacouture and Stephen P. Lacouture both ofBrockton. She was the mother of the late John M. “Jean” Lacouture who passed away in 2004. She was the sister of the late Roger, Gaston, George and Raymond Bessette, Fernande “Fern” Piche and Frances Kolb and sister-in-law of the late Delphine “Delly” Lacouture, Blanche St. Hilarie, Alma Lapierre, Estelle Brady, Lucille Bessette and Gerard Piche. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews and their families.
Her funeral will be Thursday August 12, 2021 at 9:30 am from the Funerarias Multi Culturel Funeral Home 238 Court St. Brockton followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am in Christ the King Church, 54 Lyman St. Brockton. Rita will be laid to rest alongside her beloved husband Chuck at Calvary Cemetery in Brockton. Visiting hours are Wednesday from 3-7 pm at the funeral home.