Rita Marie McDonald's Obituary
Devoted daughter, sister, and aunt, Rita Marie McDonald, 72, passed away peacefully on June 25, 2024. She was born December 20, 1951, in Washington, DC. She was the only daughter of Thomas Richard and Angeline Annette (nee Samz) McDonald. At an early age her family, including four brothers, (and later a fifth), moved to Cedar Rapids, IA where her father grew up. She attended parochial school at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Early in her teen years the family returned to the Washington, DC area, moving to the Mt. Vernon district of Alexandria, where she graduated from Ft. Hunt High School in 1970.
After high school Rita worked for the State Department and spent a year in Holland. After, in her mid-twenties, she began what would become a 38-year career working for an attorney in Washington, DC. During these years she resided in Wheaton, MD and then Reston, VA. Though she did not have children of her own, when two of her brothers’ spouses passed, she selflessly took on the responsibility to try to fill the void that was left in the lives of three nephews and a niece. Though she shied away from the title, she became the matriarch of the family and was responsible for keeping us all tightknit.
After retiring in 2012, she moved to the Fredericksburg area to be closer to her family.
Rita enjoyed nothing more than planning the meals and celebrations around the holidays with her nephew and God-son, Steven, including holiday trips with family to OBX. Some of her fondest memories were trips she took to see her out of state family as well as extended vacations with her friend of 50 years, Sharon Stettner. She reminded us of all the wisdom she learned from her father and how much a card or letter can change someone’s day. She lived by the motto, “Just a small compliment to a stranger can do miraculous things.” She was never short on those compliments.
Rita was preceded in death by her parents as well as two nephews, Patrick Lawrence McDonald and Steven Craig McDonald, and a niece, Jamie Jo McDonald.
Left behind to honor her memory are her five brothers, Joseph P. of Appleton, WI, Thomas R., Jr. of Spotsylvania, VA, John D. and Timothy M. of Caroline, VA and Brian P. of Reston, VA. She also leaves behind nieces, Jennifer (Fred), Kelly, and Meghan as well as nephews, Shaun (Amber) and Michael (Hannah).
A memorial service will be held at a later date. Interment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery in Mishicot, Wisconsin.
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