Mother of classmate Barbara (Foote) Blake

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. —  Rita M. (Therrien) Foote, 102, passed away peacefully on June 28, 2024 at Lanessa Extended Care in Webster, MA. She was born in North Adams on August 6, 1921, daughter of the late Archie and Delina (Gelinas) Therrien. She attended school in North Adams.

Rita married William L. Foote in 1938 and moved to Springfield then East Longmeadow in 1962. She worked as a nanny for several children of a widower and did some factory work at Buxton Wallets and Ray O Vac battery Corp. Rita was a devoted homemaker and mother. She enjoyed many hobbies including sewing, knitting and gardening. Her pink roses and her many handmade Raggedy Ann dolls were her pride and joy. Rita was always ready to go out dancing.

She is survived by her son Robert L. Foote and his wife Linda of St Augustine, FL and daughter Barbara Blake and her husband Ernie of Warren, MA along with her brothers Arthur Therrien, Robert Therrien and his wife Margaret. She has three grandchildren Linda Broga, David Foote and Lauren Blake. Four great grandchildren Sierra, Summer and Bryce Broga and Mandy Foote. She is predeceased by her siblings Elena Galeski, Doris Ryan, Clara Simon, Donald, Wilfred & Ernest Therrien. The family would like to thank Lanessa Extended Care for the years of loving care they provided and Hospice Care of Western and Central Mass for making her last days comfortable.