Obituary: Rita Alice Townsend
Her Legacy… Rita Alice Townsend, Age 100, passed away May 13, 2019. She was born on March 3, 1919, in Detroit, Michigan to Ryland and Alice (Woodruff) Pierce. Rita spent her younger years living between Chicago and Ypsilanti with her grandmothers after losing her mother at the age of 7. She married the love of her life, Harold Townsend, on December 30, 1936 at St. John’s Catholic Church in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Rita was a graduate of Kelvin Park High School and attended Salon Beauty School on Milwaukee Ave in Chicago, Illinois. After marrying Harold, they moved to their first farm in October of 1940 then to Willis in 1944 and then to a farm in Ann Arbor in 1944. This is where she really learned all about farming from working in the field with her Ford Ferguson tractor to milking cows and became a Farm Bureau member. A member of the Pittsfield Grange also, she was Home Ec chairperson and was responsible for all of the many tasteful dinners for different groups and events. She was part of their Square dance team initiating new members and helped provide Saturday night snacks. Rita learned it all and had a small hair salon styling business and her brother traveled back and forth from Chicago to Michigan just to get his hair cut. In 1951, her husband and children moved to Manchester. She held a very busy schedule taking care of her family and her husband’s grandmother whom had never “seen” her granddaughter Rita due to her blindness. In her later years she joined her daughter with a sewing shop in town called “Stitches” and was a skilled seamstress. At the “young” age of 84 she built a new home where she enjoyed her retirement. Rita was a devoted member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Altar Society in Manchester. She was also a member of the River Raisin Red Hat Society. Family was her greatest treasure, Rita was a devoted, loving wife, mother and grandmother and her life motto was “to look for the good in every person”. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her.
Her Family… Rita will be missed by her daughters Ruth (Tom) Burch, Eileen (Leon) Ball both of Manchester, daughter in-law Gloria Townsend, step-sister Charlotte Brott of Reno, Nevada, 13 grandchildren; Deb (Wayne) McCallum, Becky Townsend, Trisha (Chris) Hull, Tonya (Joe) Kaufman, Dan (Deb) Burch, Colleen (Gary) Sweetland, Jim (Shelia) Burch, Cathy (Jim) McMonagle, Michael (Cecila) Ball, Mark (Kari) Ball, Michelle (Bruce) Dettling, Marie (Brandon) Gates, Melanie (Jason) Woods, 36 great-grandchildren, 28 great-great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Harold, son Leroy Townsend, grandson in-law Eric Kemner, great-granddaughter Piper Gates, and great-great-grandson Jonathan Kaufman.
Her Farewell… Rita’s family and friends gathered Thursday, May 16th from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm with a Rosary at 7:00 pm at Borek Jennings Funeral Home – Manchester Chapel. Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Mary Roman Catholic Church 210 W. Main, Manchester on Friday, May 17th at 11:00 am where she lay in state from 10:00 am until time of Mass at 11:00 am. Rev. Fr. Bosco Padamattummal served as celebrant with burial following at St. Mary Roman Catholic Cemetery in Manchester. Memorial contributions are suggested to St. Mary Parish Center or Great Lakes Caring Hospice. Please leave a message of comfort for Rita’s family at 1-877-231-7900, or sign her guestbook at www.borekjennings.com.
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