Rita Wood

Rita (Farrell) Wood peacefully departed this life on December 23, 2023, surrounded by family. Rita was born to Alphonsus and Frances (Organ) Farrell in the outport community of Great Jervois, Newfoundland on February 17, 1936. She was married to James (Jim) Wood on May 18, 1957, in Stephenville, Newfoundland. Rita and Jim were married for 53 years until his death in 2010. Although she continued to live a full life after Jim’s death, she missed him every day. She is also preceded in death by her parents Alphonsus and Frances Farrell, brothers Jack, Ralph, Stan, Tom, and Kenneth, sisters, Susan Biard and Doris Russo, sisters-in-law Elizabeth Breakiron, Mary Richards, Theresa Farrell, Elizabeth Farrell, Regina Farrell, brothers-in-law, Stan Biard, Ron Foley, Edward Wood, and Don Richards, her grandson-in-law, Matt Calmes, and her dear friend, Joyce Breidenbach.

Rita lived in the remote, now resettled, fishing community of Great Jervois on the southern coast of Newfoundland until the age of 16 when she left to find employment. After working briefly in Antigonish, Nova Scotia and Montreal Quebec, she moved to Stephenville where she met and married Jim Wood. Jim’s military career took them to South Carolina, Ohio and London, England before Jim retired from the Air Force and they established a home in Beavercreek, Ohio. After settling in Ohio, Rita worked as a daycare provider and loved and looked after the infants in her care as if they were her own grandchildren. She had a gift for calming babies and rocking them to sleep. Throughout her life as a mother and nanny she provided a welcoming home for her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren as well as their spouses and friends. She was also there to listen and worry, make a fried egg or grilled cheese sandwich, and provide support. While in Ohio, she befriended other Newfoundlanders in the area and delighted in these friendships and their Newfie parties. After retirement, Jim and Rita traveled often, especially to her cherished Newfoundland. She was a member of St. Luke Catholic Church and enjoyed time with the leisure club and the Sunday morning breakfast group. She loved vacationing with family at Lakeside, Ohio, supervising farm activities during her visits to Arkansas, and spending holidays in California. Until her illness, Rita enjoyed brisk daily walks and taking care of her yard. During the last two years, when these activities were more difficult, she liked to sit in her cedar room and look out into her yard, visit with family and guests, share stories about her childhood, and chat on the phone with loved ones. Rita was curious and intelligent and loved to watch the evening news and discuss current events. She was an avid reader and liked getting book recommendations and talking about her favorite books.

Rita is survived by beloved sister Mary Foley, her five children, Timothy (Susan), James (Linda), Daniel (Kathy), Lisa (Ed), and Julia (Marcus), her eight grandchildren, Melissa (Kyle), Larry, Lucas (Jess), James (Shelly), Matthew (Sarah), Katy (Joe), Sarah (Matt), and Conor (Emily), 5 step grandchildren, Celia (Jake), Melissa, and Caroline (Matt), Ava, and Roman, seven great grandchildren, Gracie and Gwen, Tyler, Cooper and Sullivan, and Allen and Rosemary, two step great grandchildren, Sophie and Vincent, sisters-in-law, Joan Wood and Janet Farrell, and numerous nieces and nephews. She loved them all dearly. She was a beautiful soul, and her kind heart and caring spirit will be greatly missed.

The family would like to thank the doctors and staff at Wright Patterson Medical Center for the care they provided Rita during her illness, Kelly Blank, her friend and personal care assistant, who enabled Rita to spend and enjoy her final years at home and Hospice of Dayton who provided peace and comfort in her final days.

In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make donations to Hospice of Dayton https://www.ohioshospice.org/give/ or the Green County Library Foundation (Outreach program) https://www.greenelibraryfoundation.org/.

A Memorial Mass of Christian Burial for Rita will be held Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 10:30 AM at St Luke Catholic Church, 1440 N Fairfield Rd, Beavercreek, Ohio 45432. Following the Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be a burial of cremated remains at 1:00 PM at Dayton National Cemetery, 4400 West Third Street, Dayton, OH 45428.