Obituary of Mary Rita Sears

Mary Rita Sears was born on May 7, 1930, in Chelmsford, MA. Rita passed away peacefully in her sleep, with her sister & brother-in-law by her side, on April 13, 2022. Preceding her in death were her parents, Louis and Mary Raposa Sears and her sisters Margaret Rocha and Elizabeth Sears.

Rita attended local schools in Chelmsford and went on to a college education at Forsyth and Tufts Dental School, Boston, MA. Post-graduation she started her own business, working with many local dentists. Rita believed that having a smile to be proud of enabled all patients to feel their best. Rita retired and moved to Tuscon, AZ where she lived out her dream of retiring in a much warmer location. She then moved to western Florida to be closer to family, including her cousins, who were all enjoying retirement as well.

Up to and during retirement, Rita loved travel adventures. She rafted down the Colorado River and camped on the shores for a week+, she walked the Great Wall of China, visited Russia, and even did an African Safari! Of all of her travels, the most beautiful place she visited was the Azores of Portugal, especially at Christmas time. The photographs she took during her travels became a fun family gathering to see and hear about her adventures.

Rita was a lover of food, especially sweet treats, her family, friends, and her faith. To know Rita is to have laughed with or to have shared a kind word, whether a close friend or stranger. Rita was also a voracious reader, often reading upwards of 6 plus books a week and this continued up through this past year when her eyesight hindered this passion. Rita always read the first and then the last chapter, stating, “If I don’t like how it ends, it isn’t worth my time!”  Rita’s wit and smart mind will be missed.

She is survived by her loving family:  sister and brother-in-law, Cynthia & Kendrick Phillips of FL, her nieces Kristen Phillips of NH, Jennifer Phillips of CT, and Elizabeth Newton of NH, and her nephews Timothy and Anthony Sears Rocha both of NH. Rita will be lovingly missed by her grandniece and grandnephews whom she cared greatly for; Ryan and Kathryn Lessard both of NH and Alex and Drew Ruimerman of CT. She is also survived by her cousins and the countless friends Rita has impacted throughout her life. Rita’s sister, Cynthia, would like to thank the staff and caregivers at Port Charlotte Tidewell Hospice, especially Rita’s nurse Jessica Polizzi.

At Rita's request, services will be held privately, and burial will take place at St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Lowell, MA at a later date.

Rest Rita and well done!