Rita Vignolia Neve

Rita Vignolia Neve, known as Noya to many family and friends, went to be with her Lord on July 22, 2023. She was born in Panama, where she graduated from University with a Bachelor Of Science degree in Education.

She met her future husband, Daniel while he was serving in the U.S. Army and they married in 1959. They moved to San Diego California in 1960, to start their life together, Dan and Rita were married for over 64 years.

Rita had a strong belief in her Roman Catholic faith, and she loved to volunteer at church. She sang at St. John of the Cross Church Choir for over 40 years, stating to the family that when she sang in the choir on Sundays that she was “singing to God.” She also volunteered and enjoyed helping others at Kaiser Permanente Hospital in San Diego for 20 years.

Rita was a happy, high spirited person, who loved to socialize with family and friends. Her hobbies included bowling at Bowlero Bowl where she and her bowling league won many trophies. She also participated at Balboa Park’s International house, specifically the Latin American house where she would talk to visitors about her country and her culture.

Rita loved to cook what was known to the family as “Rita’s Rice” and Lentils on special occasions, such as her family’s company potlucks. Every time a family member would bring home the container from work, it was always empty, which made her very happy. Her food was always delicious, comforting and healthy.

She also would babysit to help other moms who worked outside of their homes and was fondly called “Mama Rita” by the kids.

She believed that her job was to take care of her family. She managed the finances because she knew that Daniel would have made a mess of it, so he would hand over the paychecks to her every week. She was very frugal and always saved for a rainy day instead of spending. She loved helping and spending time with her children and grandchildren with fundraisers in order to help them with their school activities.

Rita leaves behind her beloved husband, Daniel, daughters Gisella and Vickie, her son’s in law, Chris and Derrick and her grandchildren Sean and Rachel. She also leaves behind her brothers Carlos Cowan, Heriberto Cowan and her sisters, Sonia M Huff, Edna M. Rock and Zaida M. Roberson, and many nieces and nephews. She will be joining her Mother and Father, Clementina and Augusto Cowen and her brothers Augusto Cowen Jr., Dr. Oscar Cowen and her sisters, Lesbia Cowen Lu and Venus J. Metcalf.

She left us with a sense of responsibility and accountability for doing the best for ourselves and for our family and friends. She taught us the simplicity of what was right and wrong, while holding to our beliefs while learning from our mistakes. She was the best Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Teacher of Life and friend.

It has been a long journey from the time she got sick until her passing, but she was there for her family during our journeys into life and now in God’s good time, we are sending her off on a new journey as an Angel in God’s home in Heaven…where she is singing, dancing and watching over us.

She will never be forgotten by those she loved and by those who loved her best.