AUBURN – Rita E. Hartford, 75, a resident of Plains Road in Leeds, died at The Hospice House on Tuesday, March 11, with her loving family by her side.

She was born July 16, 1932, in Leeds to Nina and Millard Kenney. She attended Lewiston High School. She remained a lifelong resident of Leeds.

On April 8, 1949, she married George E. Hartford. She was an active member of the VFW, Leeds PTA and the 4-H Club. She worked at the Red Roof Grocery and Bell Manufacturing.

She loved music, had a beautiful soprano voice and played the flute and piano. She had many artistic hobbies, including oil painting, ceramics, cooking and rockhounding. She was an avid deer hunter and enjoyed camping and fishing with her family. Some of her most adventurous memories were of her canoe trip down the Allagash River with her husband and friends.

Her greatest pride and joy was always in her family and all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She will be sadly missed by her husband, George of Leeds; her daughters, Lynn and husband, Doug Gibbert, of Leeds, Robin and husband, Michael Nadeau, of Turner and Vickie and husband, Girard Boucher, of Leeds; seven grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; her sister, Claudia Thurlow of Auburn; and her brothers, Claude Kenney and wife, Judy, of Leeds and Raymond Kenney and wife, Nancy, of Wayne.

She was predeceased by her brother, Delbert; her parents; and her baby son, Larry.