Rita B. Novak

Beloved wife of Alfred Cohen, devoted mother of Dr. Howard Novak (Janice), Robyn Mustich, Traci Cherrier (Maurice Laroche), loving sister of Susan Markin, and loving grandmother of Jessica, Alex, Samantha, Carly, Austin and Allison, and great-grandson, Jameson.

She was predeceased by her parents David and Sylvia Finkelstein, and sister Myrna Weitz. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews, stepsons Stan and Gary, and many loving friends.

Services will be held privately for immediate family members only, following COVID guidelines, at King David Memorial Gardens in Falls Church, Virginia, on Thursday, November 5, 2020 at 12 Noon.

A livestream of the service will be available for those who wish to attend virtually and can be accessed via the Facebook page for National Funeral Home, link available below.

Memorial contributions may be made to a charity of your choice.

Tis a Fearful Thing

by Yehuda HaLevi (1075 – 1141)

‘Tis a fearful thing

to love what death can touch.

A fearful thing

to love, to hope, to dream, to be –

to be,

And oh, to lose.

A thing for fools, this,

And a holy thing,

a holy thing

to love.

For your life has lived in me,

your laugh once lifted me,

your word was gift to me.

To remember this brings painful joy.

‘Tis a human thing, love,

a holy thing, to love

what death has touched.