Rita C. Savage

To all five of my children, Philip, Gloria, Patricia, Brian and Margaret, I gladly give my love and admiration for all the love and attention they gave to Fred and me, and for 60 years of a wonderful life with them (and their progeny). I could never ask for a better life here on Earth. God has been good to us. May God continue to take care of all of you…remember, when I am gone I will start a new life; as you will also. So live your lives with love for each other as Christ would have you do.

Written by Rita C. Savage – August 29th, 2007

Rita (Dee) was born on March 24, 1922, in San Pedro, California, to Carl and Margaret Cope. She was the first of seven children – five sisters and two brothers. While growing up in San Pedro, Rita enjoyed going to the beach with her sisters Kathleen, Gloria, Margie and Colleen, as well as her brothers Jack and Carl. Frequently, she was in charge of all of them.

She attended school in San Pedro and married early in life. Her first son, Philip, was born in 1940 and shortly afterwards, her daughter Gloria arrived. Unfortunately, the marriage did not last, and life soon found her in the mountains of Big Bear, California, for two years.

In 1947, while working in a restaurant in San Pedro, Rita met Fred, who was working nearby for the port of Los Angeles. They married on September 11, 1947, and began their life in Lomita, California. Rita brought her two children, Philip and Gloria, into the marriage. Soon the family grew with the addition of three more children; Patricia, Brian and Margaret. Fred worked for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and Rita stayed home to care for the family. She always had a beautiful garden, and loved to be outside with her flowers.

In 1970, after the children were grown, Fred and Rita moved to Long Beach, California. Rita worked with the Superior Court System until their retirement. In 1975, they moved to Vista, California, “to be out in the country”, and lived there for the next 35 years. Rita and Fred loved camping locally, but also made multiple trips around North America, including Alaska, Mexico and Canada. Rita even traveled to Europe with her daughter Gloria and on-in-law Robert, the highlight being a stay in Paris.

Rita loved art and painted many beautiful pictures in water color, mostly of places that she and Fred and traveled.

Rita lost her beloved Fred in 2007, after a lengthy illness in which she was by his side constantly until his death. Rita became a member of the Legion of Mary, in which she visited patients in need of comfort. She had a deep and strong faith, and prayers were always a constant gift to her family and friends.

She is now with her beloved husband, Fred. They are dancing to the big band music, sailing in the clouds and home at last.

If our father was the head of the family, our mother was the heart. She showed us the meaning of unconditional love and we are all testaments to her life. Mom was always there for us and had a strong commitment to her family.

She was a spiritual woman...and Lord knows, we never asked to go to parochial school but mom wanted to make sure we had a good Catholic education. She was an example for all of us to be good Christians in this life and the next.

She was an artistic woman...and she gave us the beauty of flowers and trees in her paintings. She shared with us her love of music by singing in the church choir and at family gatherings.

She was a simple woman...that loved the outdoors; camping trips, sailing the ocean and summers at the beach with the family. She enjoyed all the little things we are put on earth to enjoy, and taught us the peace of "just being in the garden".

She was a quiet woman...that loved to work on crossword puzzles with her husband, reading a good book, spending time sewing, or listening to classical music.

She was a beautiful woman...that had an inner beauty that matched her outer beauty. Because of her, we became aware that time is the most precious thing one person can give to another. Time can never be replaced; for it is priceless.

She was a kind and loving woman...who cared deeply for her mother and father, her 7 brothers and sisters, her 5 children, her 10 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, all her nieces and nephews, and friends too numerous to count. And oh yes, she was deeply in love with her husband of 60 years.

The woman's name was Rita Camille Savage, also know as "Dee" to her family and friends. She was born on March 24th, 1922, and died on April 27th, 2012 at 8:17 in the morning. She will be greatly missed...and for all of us there will never be another woman like her again.