Rita Ann Fabri

Beloved aunt, sister, daughter, godmother, cousin and friend of many, Rita Fabri left this world in the early morning hours of Friday September 1, passing peacefully in her sleep at the age of 93, 23 days from her 94th birthday.

Rita was a woman of unshakable faith who knew where she was heading – into the hands of our Lord and the company of her savior Jesus. We are confident she is talking it all over with Him right now, perhaps sharing a glass of her favorite red wine.

Rita was blessed with a long and healthy life, during which she balanced a vigorous career in the business world with a private life of philanthropy, also traveling to many exotic places - Hong Kong, Belgium, Cuba, Italy, to name just a few of the many places she visited during the early days of jet travel when traveling by air was both singularly special and luxurious. She had a strong, willful nature, counterbalanced with a charming, disarming and engaging social style. When she smiled, the world moved to her desires; when she was cross, her eyes would flash some fire and you would know that her desires had not been met. She had the will and grit of several men three times her size.

She will be deeply and sorely missed.

Born in Yerington, Nevada on September 24, 1929, Rita is preceded in death by her mother and father, Suzie and Guy Fabri, brother Lloyd Fabri. She is survived by her sister-in-law Nina Fabri, nephew and nieces Christopher Fabri, Elena Fabri and Nicole Fabri Zandoli and husband Blaise, grand niece and nephew Marius Zandoli and Lucia Zandoli, cousins Lynne Rochette and husband Mike and their children Lisa Rochette and Nicole Dobel, and Joan Shurtz and husband Steve and their children Blake and Jay, cousin Gene Frugoli, cousin Pam Baker, cousins Judy, Terry, Sheila and Bob Scatena, extended family that wish to be remembered in Switzerland being the Corminboeuf, Simon, Brissot and Overney families, and many friends and further extended family. She spent her childhood in Nevada, and moved to San Francisco at the age of 16 in advance of her family moving to the Marina. She stayed with her beloved Aunt Emma Yriberri (née Scatena) for this year, while her family made preparations for the move. She attended prestigious St Brigid High School, where she had many friends and enjoyed many activities; she particularly enjoyed and was quite good at dancing. She was fond of remembering how she was admired for having such pretty legs! She was a bobby soxer who loved Frank Sinatra and participated in many dance contests, several of which she actually won. In 1957, she won the Harvest Moon Smooth Swing Dance Championship.

After graduating, she became the private secretary to Frank Petrini of Petrini Markets and held this role for many years. Later she went to work as the secretary for the office of the Apparel Mart in the Pacific Building, helping to manage the operations. After her boss died, she was asked to take over his role, but Rita, being a very traditional woman, thought that a managerial role was meant for men only, and she passed it up for perhaps a better job – a secretary at Dean Whitter, which later became later Morgan Stanley, where she rose to ultimately run the local San Francisco office, participating in making significant contributions to the business.

Rita was a keen market observer and strategist. She watched the markets daily and managed her own portfolio, many years into retirement. She was always bullish on equities but had no qualms selling low performers - “it hasn’t moved anywhere - sell it”. She would mark down the price of shares daily in her journal, keeping track of price movements and dividends paid. If the stock moved and had a good dividend, that was something to look at more closely, invest in and possibly hold onto long term.

She was very proud of her independence and was the model of a young woman able to live life on her own terms, away from her parents’ home, supporting herself, during a time when that was rare indeed.

Rita was a long time resident of the Marina district in San Francisco. She loved the city and had long standing relationships with merchants on Chestnut Street. She knew all the bus routes in the city and knew which bus to take at what time to get pretty much anywhere of interest. She would help tourists and locals alike in getting around, telling them about great restaurants and shops in the Marina and elsewhere in the city. Pier 39, Washington Square, Market Street, and Coit Tower were particular favorites of hers.

Probably what marks Rita’s life most of all is her abiding Catholic faith. Her main and favorite church was Sts. Peter and Paul’s church in North Beach. She went to church weekly and could be counted on for prayers whenever you needed it. She was supportive of those around her and never, ever forgot a birthday. She was generous, kind, and often boldly opinionated towards young people on the bus or the streets of the city. For years, she would prepare a second lunch and, on her daily trips to the local library in the Marina, would distribute it to disadvantaged people she had befriended. Rita was exceedingly generous and, to her last days, provided sustenance and support to the poor. She always wanted to help and make things better.

Rita was not a shy and unassuming spirit, but rather full of energy, grit and fire. The world is a dimmer place without her. We place her in God’s loving hands and pray for her undying soul.

A remembrance mass will be held at Saints Peter and Paul church, 666 Filbert St. SF, CA 94133, North Beach, Wednesday, September 13th, at 10:30-11:30 am. There will be a period prior to the mass, between 10:00 and 10:30 am, for viewing and saying goodbyes to Rita. The ten steps of the rosary will also be said during this time. Her body will be buried at St Joseph’s cemetery, in Woodland, California, where her mother and father are also buried.

In lieu of flowers, donation can be made to Litter Sisters of the Poor, 300 Lake St., San Francisco, CA 94118.