Rita ~~~ RIP

It was a happy day in Sandpoint seven years ago on Aug. 11 when William E. Love III married Deborah Williams at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Sandpoint. Irish eyes were smiling all over the place at that wedding, and oodles of pictures were snapped.

This is a photo of two great ladies who posed with me because I brought them together at the reception and said they looked a lot alike in my eyes. Marilyn Chambers (left) is my long-time friend who watched after William III aka "Willie" the week Annie, our "Precious" was born.

Rita (right) is my aunt on my real father's side---and my godmother. Like all aspects of my lineage, Rita's Irish roots trace back to Chicago, where a couple of generations before her, our ancestors of the Dooley clan owned a saloon.

Rita was the youngest and last of her generation of the Brown family: Michael, Mary Jane and Rita. She died last Friday in Ephrata. Her funeral is today. Circumstances here made it difficult for us to go the funeral, so I want to honor Rita's memory on my blog today.

If there were a Ward and June Cleaver couple in Ephrata, I'd say my wonderful Uncle George and Aunt Rita could fill the bill. They lived quiet, good lives there, raised a phenomenal Catholic family of all girls and one boy. Rita worked at the Western Auto store for many years.

On one of my trips to Ephrata (I often surprised her with my presence while traveling across Washington), I found her at work. On another occasion, I went to her door, knocked and asked if she had a restroom I could use. It took her a minute to digest this sudden and strange intrusion into her life, but then she recognized me and laughed about the event that day and for many years afterward.

I wrote in a sympathy note to the Waltho family that I wish I had known Rita better. Again, circumstances and distance made that difficult. The families had some fairly good visits at the wedding weekend in 2001 and a couple of years ago when the Brown family held a reunion in the Ephrata area.

Always our regret was that we didn't get to see each other enough. This will be a sad day in Ephrata as Rita goes off to her Heavenly home. She lived a life that certainly ensured her quick entrance.

Though the tears will be shed here on earth as she is laid to rest, I feel confident that once she walks through that gate, Irish eyes will be smiling and welcoming her with open arms.

RIP, Rita