Rita Rits Lavoie

It has been said that “all the world’s a stage.” This particularly held true for Rita Lavoie. Indeed, she was one of the players. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, she was a perpetual performer in the theatre of life. To everyone around her, she was eternally happy, and was always willing to share that joy with anyone whose life she touched. For Rits, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark, or the twinkle of an eye. Rits truly mastered the art of living and had great fun throughout her journey.

Rits first stepped onto the stage of life on August 1, 1951. She first greeted the world at Chapleau General Hospital as the daughter of Emile and Melanise Lavoie. She often spoke of her father's playful antics and how it would get her mother so worked up. She grew up in the small town of Sultan Ontario where they lived in a little country home. What was most memorable about it was that it was a converted chicken coop and definitely one of a kind. She was raised with four siblings, two older sisters, Regina and Elizabeth, one younger sister, Tonie and a younger brother, Rene. Rits was always very protective and loved to always be joking around and playing tricks on them. Even though they loved antagonizing each other, they were very close and always stuck together.

Even as a child, it seemed as though Rits had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around her. She was raised to be warm, caring, and friendly. She couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention and was definitely a little bit of a show off, but in doing so, succeeded in entertaining her entire family. Always being a good playmate, Rits was easygoing and fun-loving. She managed to lighten the mood wherever she was, even in the middle of family squabbles. She seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, she managed to find satisfying solutions to basic problems. She could see all sides of a dispute and managed to bring in her sense of humour whenever it was needed. Even then, she was the glue that kept the family together.

All of Rits' playful good nature carried over into her childhood. She had an outgoing personality, a lively imagination, and a rather laid back, go-with-the-flow approach to life. She was constantly on the go. As a result of this, she experienced a rather active childhood and this suited her very well. She enjoyed sports as a child, especially recreational baseball. She also had a number of favourite pastimes as a child; playing games like "Missus", playing dress up in her mother's clothing, building play furniture in her father's wood shed and generally anything to do with the outdoors.

Rits was drawn to both individuals and crowds. She frequently used her gregarious and outgoing personality to captivate her audience. This quality led to her having a number of friends, such as Linda Guitard, Lorraine Desbiens, Bob Bertrand, Rene Cote and Etienne Roussy. She also developed a love for animals and pets at an early age and this was evident in her relationship with her dogs named star and "Ti-pit". She often talked about how Star would fall asleep outside in winter snowfalls and resembled a tiny little snow bank in the back yard. Rits also went on a few trips when she was growing up. On occasion, she used to travel to Sault Ste. Marie to visit her grandparents.

Ask anyone who knew her from school and they would tell you that Rits was a “cut-up” and had a tendency to be the center of attention. With the knack for being able to find the good in just about any situation, whether in class or not, she was always ready with a smile. She wasn’t the type of person who would say or do things to be unkind or garner all the attention but it just always seem to find her wherever she went. In simple retrospect, Rits simply enjoyed seeing others have a good time and to hear their laughter. For Rits, experience was the best teacher. She enjoyed hands-on learning and applying a practical approach to knowledge. For Rits, a class or a teacher had to be fun to really capture her attention.

In her teenage years, she found it easy to become a part of a lot of different groups and activities. This quality allowed her to continually develop new relationships and widen her circle of friends. For Rits, they were all potential spectators for her seemingly non-stop performances. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song, or just plain fooling around, she was always right at home putting on a show among her friends. She utilized her interest in others as a great way to connect with them. Just about anyone who knew Rits back then would probably be able to tell a story in which she played the starring role. Some of the favourite things to do when Rits and her friends got together would be to go to a movie theatre named Sheffields and then venture off for their nightly drive to the dump to maybe catch a glimpse of some wild life followed by their traditional coke at Aurele's restaurant.

Aside from all the fun and games, Rits understood responsibility and took it very seriously. Rits reveled in her college years where she attended Ontario Business College and to no surprise, graduated with honours. It was here that she shined and the sky was her limit. She was viewed by many of her classmates as being a creative, imaginative and smart person. She was usually found at the center of things, whether it was during class or in extracurricular activities. She was a jovial person who loved to share her passion for fun with others. She relished the task of putting her imagination to work in class. She was constantly discovering new and different ways of answering problems, often creating unique and unusual solutions.

Once graduated, she deservingly found some time to get away from home and take a 2 week vacation to Jamaica discovering her new true love of traveling to tropical destinations. She loved the beaches and lying in the hot sun catching a few rays. Being the way that she was, it was here that she was in her element, seeing new things and meeting new people... but then again when was she not in her element when it came to making new friends. Rits was a very easy person to approach, simply by being so emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate. Jeffrey Wayne Thomas learned this firsthand. They met when her father came home one day from work and brought a fellow co-worker with him. Even though they didn’t become a couple right away, they became good friends and always kept in touch.

Several years later that all changed. Jeff and Rits purchased their first home together in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario where they lived next to two of their very close friends Harry and Margo Haggman. They had 2 dogs named Shylo and Sassy whom Rits adored and spoiled to no end. Her dogs brought her a special kind of happiness that to her could never be compared. Sometime later, Rits and Jeff purchased a camp where, as usual, they were surrounded by many new friends which she thought of as her little extended family. For anyone who knew her, this is where they would say Rits felt the most at home. This is where she looked forward to spending all of her spare time making everyday memories. This was truly her place of tranquility which she referred to as “A little piece of heaven”. Since then, Jeff and Rits have never looked back!

Rits seemed to have an endless appetite for new activities. An extremely generous person who often wore her heart on her sleeve, she often found herself involved in activities that she felt were important. She was charitable, kind, and giving, all qualities that made her a natural volunteer. Outspoken in her beliefs, yet tactful in her dealings with others, she was a member of several community groups. One of the groups she was involved in was her yearly political elections committee as a poll clerk. She was always ready to join in the fun and add her flair and energy to any organization. Because of her personality, her humour, and her ability to get along with everyone, Rits' service was greatly valued by the organizations to which she belonged.

Perhaps the reason Rits related so well to youngsters was the fact that she was always a kid at heart herself. This quality helped her with responsibilities in being the best godmother possible to her niece Nathalie and in raising her own family. It was as if she remembered the way it felt to play and have fun as a child and so she tried to keep that feeling alive in her own family. She had two sons, Mike and Glenn and her little pitune (Her niece Tania) the daughter she never had. Nothing meant more to her than making sure her children were well taken care of and had everything they could possibly ever ask for. Her children would often fill her with pride. Mike excelled in sports while Glenn was very passionate about being a musician. She also tried to raise her children in a safe and nurturing environment, filled with fun and wonder. Rits had the ability to focus her attention on the present moment. If she was spending time with her children, that is where all of her attention was directed. She could spend hours engaging them with fun and creative play. In fact, Rits had a knack for turning some of those nasty old household chores into fun and playful games. She always tried her hardest to be the best parent she could possibly be. Rits also carried over the fun into family trips and vacations. She was never one to sit on the side lines and watch while everyone else was having fun, she would be the first one in line! Whether it was to go on a big roller coaster or the first to go down a giant zip line, YOU BET she was always ready for a good time! Not only did she adore her children, she was later blessed with four beautiful grandchildren, Corey, Skylar, Taylor and Harlee whom she never missed one single opportunity to spoil! Whenever Mimmi was around, there was no mistaking; once again, she was always the highlight of the night.

At work, as in life, Rits was a real "people person." She had a very successful way of working effectively with others and her enthusiasm and energy were often contagious. When dealing with various projects and problems, Rits was an adaptable realist, using her common sense and trusting her experiences and impulses to uncover the best option. Being a down-to-earth thinker allowed many to see her as an excellent problem-solver. Whether it was working at her very first job as a waitress at Godin’s diner or working as a payroll clerk/bookkeeper, Rits was very successful at whatever she did or whatever endeavour's she took on. She was always relied upon and was always considered to be a valuable employee. She was a very proud person and took great pride in her work. Rits made a number of new friends in the workplace, due to her outgoing personality. Some of them included Margo Haggman, Johanne Lelievre and Sheila Ewing. She always gained valuable relationships with fellow co-workers because she was very well liked and always fun to be around. It was often said that she always brought out the best in people!

Rits enjoyed her leisure time by taking part in various pastimes. Sitting on the dock with her morning percolated coffee reading one of her favourite Danielle Steele novels, catching some morning sun while putting her unique floral touches in her gardens, taking her morning and nightly aromatic saunas and waiting for her friendly colourful little hummingbirds to come and perch themselves on her finger to say good morning were all some of her favourites. I guess you could say she was the doctor Doolittle of Trout Lake. Other than being at camp, her other true passion in life was her annual trips to tropical destinations; two of her favourites being Mexico and Jamaica, somewhere you would find her sipping on Bahama Mamas and Mojitos . But let’s not kid ourselves and forget Rits’ love for shopping! Her favourite store was "Bebe Sports" where they always greeted her with open arms and always by her first name. She was also a huge fan of Turner Classic Movies, musicals and plays. Her all time favourite movie was "Dirty Dancing" and her favourite TV shows were dancing with the stars, so you think you can dance, American Idol and any soap opera. Her favourite musical performers were "the Eagles" and "Celine Dion". She also loved any kind of dance and Caribbean music to which she was often known to cut quite a rug.

Rits felt excited and challenged by sports. Even those times when she may not have been the best, which wasn't very often, she loved to participate. She thoroughly enjoyed the competition as well as the pleasure of being around other people. She relished any opportunities in which she could make an impact. In fact, it was not uncommon for her to push herself to play above her abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, she never seemed to get caught off guard. Even when confronted by the unexpected she was able to react and often succeed, thinking quickly on her feet. Rits was very athletic, kept in great shape and was very compassionate in having good health. She was a fitness instructor earlier on in life and was very involved in local fitness clubs like Curves and Achieve Fitness where she is fondly remembered by many great friends. One of her most memorable accomplishments was competing and winning a Miss Northern Ontario body building championship. Not only did she love playing sports, she also enjoyed watching her favourite NHL team in action, the Montreal Canadiens, whenever she got the opportunity. But then again, not usually seen not participating herself, nothing brought her more joy than sitting in the stands, watching her children and grandchildren compete and excel in the sports they loved to play. Hands down, she was by far their biggest fan!

Rita Lavoie left us on April 20th, 2011. She passed away at Sault Area Hospital in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario at the young age of 59 fighting a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. Rits was preceded in death by her father Emile and her sister Elizabeth. She is survived by her partner Jeff and her two sons Mike and Glenn. Services were handled by Arthur Funeral Home. Rits will rest in peace and live on with her family at the comfort of her home.

Rits was always sharing a good laugh and bringing joy to all of those around her. She loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. She loved to share her energy, wit, and a zest for all of her activities with her friends and family. Rita Lavoie lived life to its fullest and made everyone happier just for knowing her. She will forever be remembered with a smile. All who knew her would agree that this world was definitely a better place with her in it!!!

Until we all meet again, you know she will be watching over us while enjoying her favourite lattes and cappuccinos with her well known signature - TWO THUMBS UP!!!

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LAVOIE, Rita – With great sadness, our family announces her peaceful passing surrounded by family on Wednesday, April 20, 2011 at the age of 59. Beloved daughter of Melanie and the late Emile. Loving companion and best friend of Jeff. Truly one of a kind mother of Mike (Jen) and Glenn. Precious Mimi of Corey, Skylar, Taylor and Harlee. Beautiful sister of Regina (Wayne), late Elizabeth, Tonie (Jim) and Rene (Darcy). Special Auntie to Jeff, Nathalie, Julian, Lance, Tania, Sabrina and Rene. Missed by her beloved dog Sassy and the late Shylo. Deeply mourned by special friends Trisha, Margo and Harry, Kevin, Joanne and her entire, wonderful Trout Lake family. Your love and kindness to our Rita is deeply appreciated. She smiled when talking about each and every one of you. Friends and family are invited to the Arthur Funeral Home & Cremation Centre for a celebration of our beautiful Rita’s life on Sunday, April 24, 2011 from 6 – 9 pm. Memorial contributions to Sault Ste. Marie Humane Society in Rita and Shylo’s memory or the SAH Cancer Care Fund would be greatly appreciated by the family.