Rita Cunningham
RUMFORD – Rita Cunningham, 82, of Crescent Ave., passed away on June 25, 2023 at the home of her daughter in Cumberland. She was born in Rumford on Oct. 31, 1940, the daughter of Annie Lavina Buote and Fay Jamison.
She was raised in Roxbury Village and attended Mexico High School where she graduated with the class of 1959.
She worked the summer of ’59 in Rangeley and then went to work at the paper mill in Rumford. She held several positions there, retiring in 1998 as Maintenance Training Coordinator and Administrator of the Maintenance Apprenticeship Program. She was also a licensed ceramics instructor and taught ceramics at her home for several years. After retiring from the mill, she worked several years in the social services field.
In 1972, Rita married Walter H. Cunningham of Dixfield. They celebrated 39 years together until his passing in 2011. Together they took many trips with their friends the Ellis’ and Wings.
She enjoyed many varied activities over the years, including cake decorating, working on her family genealogy, scrapbooking, teaching ceramics, and cooking and baking holiday themed treats. She volunteered at the Greater Rumford Area Ministry Pantry cooking and delivering meals. She loved music and singing, and was a past president of RAAPA (Rumford Association for the Advancement of the Performing Arts.) She was a Co-Queen along with her friend Isabel Duguay, of the Red Hat Mommas of Western Maine. She served on the Board of the Maine State Apprenticeship and Training Council, Dixfield Historical Society, and the Mexico Historical Society. She was a communicant of Holy Savior Parish in Rumford. She taught Catechism at St. Athanasius church before it combined with other area churches.
Rita enjoyed the theater, movies, country music, shopping and eating out with many of her longtime friends and, most importantly, spending time with her family. She was very family oriented and very proud of her siblings. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her pride and joy. She loved family gatherings, especially the 4th of July and Christmas (her favorite). She made the holidays and birthdays memorable for her grandchildren.
She is survived by her beloved family, daughter Kim and husband Steve Craig of New Portland, daughter and son-in-law Heidi and Mark Gwinn of Cumberland, son Klaus Schmitt and companion Jane Dale of Culpepper, Va.; brother and sister-in-law Allan and Joyce Jamison of Holden; grandchildren Chelsea Rideout and husband Andrew Rideout of Portland, Kara Gwinn and her partner Jared Holmes of Gorham, Trevor Tierney and fiancé Ellen of Mt. Pleasant, S.C., Luke Tierney of Charleston, S.C.; great-grandsons Jackson and Jett of Gorham; several close nieces and nephews; and many special friends.
Rita was predeceased by her parents; husband Walter, sister and brother-in-law, Rosalie and Raymond Chimel and brother and sister-in-law Albert and Mildred Jamison; and her two step daughters Kelly Marais and Leslie Denton of Lewiston.
A funeral service will be held on Friday July 28, 2023 at 12:00 noon at St. Anthanais, St John Church in Rumford. The service will be live streamed for those who cannot attend in person. In lieu of flowers,
memorial contributions can be made to:
The Maine Children Cancer Program online at https://fundraising.mmc.org/mccp-donate-now
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