Rita A. Wilson

Rita was born in Keene, NH September 12, 1939 one of eleven children of Rocco A. and Anna (Grossi) DiLuzio. A lifelong resident of Keene, she was a 1957 graduate of Keene High School.

Rita worked for 15 years as a Chef Manager of food services with the Peerless Insurance Company in Keene. Rita was a parishioner of St. Bernard Church in Keene. Rita enjoyed cooking, crocheting, walks, the beach, family vacations in the White Mountains, and bowling in the couple’s league with her husband, Pete. Rita especially enjoyed spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Rita’s legacy lives on through the love and strong values she instilled within her family, leading by example of always putting the needs of family before her own.

Rita and her family are eternally grateful for the quality, dedication, compassion and patient-centered medical care, delivered over last 15 years from the medical personnel of Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA and the Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene, NH.

Rita is survived by her husband of 51 years, Benjamin O. “Pete” Wilson of Keene whom she married in St. Bernard Church, June 25, 1960, a son, Tony R. Wilson and his wife, Maria, of Keene, two daughters, Marie A. Braley and her husband, Herbert, Jr. of Swanzey, NH, Anna M. Lake of Keene, seven grandchildren, Timothy A. Braley and his wife, Erin, Michael K. Braley, Jonathan K. Lake, Angela M. Serpico, Benjamin D. Lake and his wife Jessica, Alexandra M. Wilson, Gianna R. Wilson, and several great-grandchildren. Rita is also survived by a brother, John DiLuzio of Chesterfield, NH, four sisters, Caroline Firmin of Troy, NH, Grace Fernald of Troy, NH, Theresa DiLuzio of Swanzey, NH, Jean Dubois of Keene, several brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, nieces and nephews. Five sisters, Anna Symonds, Lena Sordello, Rose Sterling, Mary Raitto, and Antoinette DiLuzio, died earlier.

A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Thursday morning, September 1, 2011 at 10:00 AM in St. Bernard Church, 185 Main Street, Keene. Burial will be private at a later date. Family and friends are invited to call on Wednesday, August 31, 2011, from 7 to 9 PM at the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene.

The family has asked to please honor their request that in lieu of flowers, donations to Rita’s memory to help others be made to the Tufts Medical Center, Transplant Program, 800 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111, American Liver Foundation, New England Chapter, 88 Winchester Street, Newton, MA 02461, or the National Kidney Foundation of MA, RI, NH & VT, 85 Astor Avenue, Suite 2, Norwood, MA 02062