Obituary of Rita Mary Kennedy

RITA MARY KENNEDY Rita Kennedy passed away peacefully in her sleep on Tuesday August 5, 2014. Born on June 12, 1921 in The Pas, Manitoba, Rita grew up on a farm in the Canadian Prairies during the Great Depression. There, she learned the value of hard work, honesty, perseverance, humility and grace from her parents. Rita’s careers were a perpetual journey. She was a switchboard operator, pharmacist’s assistant, business school teacher, hairdresser, civil servant, and a tireless volunteer for many organizations. Rita was an athlete, art lover, community leader, communicator, peacemaker, and a political champion. Her gift to the world was to nurture those values in all of us. Rita was a trailblazing mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, daughter and friend. She was an eternal optimist who was devoted to her faith and spirituality, and above everything else, love. Rita was predeceased by her parents, Allan John Kennedy and Marie Therèse Poupore; spouse Wilfrid Laurier Butler; sister Kathleen Reid; brother Gordon Kennedy; daughter Valorie Skotheim; and granddaughter Jennifer (Mark) Dekker. Rita is survived by her sisters, Margaret Pinvidic and Ethel Wolfe; daughter Maureen Imrie; grandchildren, Heidi (Dean) Assman, Anne-Marie (Brent) Ireland, Adam Kennedy (Jenna King), Hanson Skotheim (Megan Mueller), Dane Imrie (Marybeth Gallinger); and great-grandchildren, Anders Ireland, Alexandra Dekker, Mitchell Assman, Drew Dekker, Colsen Jones, Eric Assman, Scott Assman and Davis Tiger Kennedy. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and devoted friends across four provinces. Thank you to the caring professionals in Parkside Extendicare and the Regina General and Pasqua Hospitals who assisted Rita during her final year. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Trans-Canada Trail Project, 43 Westminster Avenue North, Montreal, QC, H4X 1Y8 or the Regina Humane Society, P.O. Box 3143 Stn Main, Regina, SK, S4P 3G7. A Prayer Service will be held at Speers Funeral Chapel, 2136 College Avenue, Regina, SK on Friday, August 8, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. The Memorial Service will be held at Speers Funeral Chapel on Saturday, August 9, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. Interment in Regina Memorial Gardens.