FRANKLIN ---- Our beloved Mum, 99-years-young Anne Marie Rita (O’Neil) Gage, formerly of Laconia and Sanbornton, NH, passed away on Friday, September 27, 2024, at Peabody Place, Franklin, NH, enveloped in the love of her family, after a long, brave and determined journey.
Rita, as she was known to all, was born the youngest child to George O. and Marie Anne (Normandin) O’Neil in Lynn, MA, July 12, 1925. Upon the death of her mother in 1929 at the age of 40, the remaining Normandin brothers and sisters closed ranks around Rita and her three older siblings, Marguerite, Norman, and Gerard, determined to help George raise his young family at home in Lynn, while he continued to work at GE. Tante Fabiola came from Canada to become their cook, house-keeper, and confidante during the school year, while their summers were spent at Camp Belle Rive on Lake Winnisquam, swimming, boating, gardening, raising pets, and best of all, fishing, with Uncle Armand and Aunt Alice, the sibling doctors well-known for their compassion and kindness. Extended family joined in picnics on the beach and by boat, fishing in the cabin cruiser, as well as at gatherings honoring clergy, nurses, doctors, and people of note met along the way. So many wonderful and whimsical stories Mum has imparted to us over the years of those idyllic times in Sanbornton, as she grew up surrounded and influenced by this remarkable extended family.
Mum graduated from Lynn Classical High School in 1943, and was a National Honor Society student at Emmanuel College, Boston, MA, attended McGill University, Montreal, Canada, UNH, Durham, and graduated Dean’s List from Boston School of Physiotherapy in 1951. She practiced PT at Boston Psychopathic Hospital.
Mum had met the love of her life while visiting family at Harris Shore, on the Big Lake: her cousin, Bob, had a friend, Joe, whose dad, Dr. Earl Gage, had a fishing cabin down shore. Joe splashed water at her and ruined her freshly done hair-do. Mum insisted that he “pestered” her from then on until she agreed to marry him. With his WW II Navy service, college, and pre-med behind him, Rita and Joseph Wilfred Gage were married December 29, 1951, at Sacred Heart Church, followed by a family-filled reception at the Tavern Inn, downtown Laconia. They then boarded a train bound for Chicago, IL, and moved into the Cabrini Green student housing project while Joe attended Loyola School of Dentistry.
Dr. Joseph Gage established his practice and their home in a former gift shop across from Laconia High School in 1955. Rita already was a busy mother to Marie Anne and Erline, then Joseph Jr., Brian, Margarite and Elise came along in succession. In the early 1960s, Rita’s love of the Creative Arts, pottery, painting, ballroom dancing, gardening, came in second to diapers and home-making, but she somehow managed to squeeze in her constant and undying support of her husband’s public service and professional life. She created a welcoming home for their children and their parade of friends and pets, carted the 6 of us to Belle Rive for the summer season, then readied for the school year, just in time for the move back to town.
We have wonderful memories of our beautiful Mum: dressed up for formal events as Dad moved up in his profession, both locally and nationally; listening to her lovely soprano as she practiced the choral pieces she sang with the NHMF and Pemi Choral Society for over 30 seasons; the lullabies and show tunes she sang to her 12 grandchildren; Mum cooking for the holidays at camp, the rooms filled to the brim with her family; photos recording years of family camp life on Winnisquam.
Rita was predeceased by her father (1967), her husband (2005), her sister, Marguerite M. O’Neil (1965) of Randolph, MA, and her brothers, Norman G. O’Neil (2002) of North Reading, MA, and A. Gerard O’Neil (2000) of Laconia. She is survived by her six children: Marie Anne Baldwin (Dick Tapply) of Gilford, Erline Johnson (Graham) of Sanbornton, Joseph (Kristin) of Sanbornton, Brian (Patricia) of Concord, Margarite Joyce (Glen) of Laconia, and Elise Hubbard (Talcott) of Laconia; also by her grandchildren: Mark Baldwin (Sarah) and Marley Baldwin, Jennie and Annemarie Johnson, Joseph P. Gage, Courtney and Tyler Gage, Mackenzie Joyce and Merrick (Trisha) Joyce, Kristi Joyce, Jenni Reinier (Leland) and Cory Joyce (Ashley), Talcott Hubbard Jr., Curran Madden (Spencer), and Shayla Hubbard; also by her great grandchildren: Eulalie Baldwin Clark, Eleanor Hubbard, Miles Baldwin, Grayson Cooley, Rainey and Ridge Reinier, and Kelton and Wrenlry Joyce, Carver Joyce, and Maverick Madden. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Irene B. Gage (William), cousins, nieces and nephews.
Rita’s family extends its gratitude to the memory care staff and hospice personnel at The Courtyard at Peabody Place, Franklin, NH, and to the care and support staff from Franklin VNA and Hospice.
A Calling Hour will be held on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, from 6:00pm-7:00pm, in the Carriage House at Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, NH 03246.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, at 10:00am, at St. Andre Bessette Parish at Sacred Heart Church, 291 Union Avenue, Laconia, NH 03246.
Burial will follow at St. Lambert Cemetery, Province Road, Laconia, NH.
For those who wish, donations in Rita’s memory may be made to the Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation, Dr. Joseph W. and Rita Gage Memorial Fund (lrscholarship.org/donors), PO Box 7312, Gilford, NH 03247-7312.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services/603Cremations.com, Laconia, NH, is assisting the family with arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial, please visit wilkinsonbeane.com.