Rita Meaney died peacefully Friday morning April 4, 2025. She had been under hospice care after suffering a brain bleed. Rita was the oldest of Cornelius and Marion Meaney's four children. She was born in Marlborough, MA and traveled the United States with her family due to her father's job as a Captain in the Geodetic Cosurvey, now known as NOAA.

She graduated from the University of Washington in 1946 with a Journalism Degree. One of her professors recommended her for a job with the Pentagon's Communication office, so she moved back to Washington DC after graduation. She worked for the Pentagon and then with Special Services, stationed in Germany. She organized entertainment for the troops stationed there. One of her favorite stories to tell was when travelling back to Mainz from West Berlin, they had to go through a Soviet check point and the solider who examined her passport pretended he was not going to give it back. She always said she must have given him just the reaction he wanted, because he started laughing and relinquished the passport.

After her work with Special Services overseas she pursued her Master's Degree in Education from the University of Florida. She always liked warm weather and headed to Phoenix, AZ to start her teaching career in 1958. She taught First Grade for 30 years and gave countless children the gift of reading.

Rita was an excellent Bridge player and enjoyed travelling for Duplicate Bridge Tournaments. Her Bridge skills also made her an above average Black Jack player and if her Duplicate Tournament was near a casino, she would often drop by to play a hand or two. She continued playing Bridge in Phoenix twice a week until COVID restrictions shut down her past time.

Rita moved to Florida in the fall of 2021. After breaking her hip last May, she never fully recovered her mobility. Rita is survived by her younger sister, Mary Jean Bonthron, nieces Dori Dalton, Barbara Hall, Anne Feaster and Debbie Banker; her great nephews, Timothy Hall, Mathew Dalton, Sean Hall, Michael Hall, Bobby Feaster, Ryan Feaster, Riley Banker, Kevin Feaster and Bobby Banker; her great nieces, Claire Testa, Theresa Feaster, Libby Lynn, Ashley Banker and Christine Banker; her great great nieces, Brooke Hall, Easton Lynn, Olivia Hall, Keane Feaster, and Charlotte Hall; her great great nephews, Crosby Feaster and Ledger Lynn and her beloved house cats, Sunny and Honey.