Obituaries

Rita Houghton, Longtime Somerville Teacher, Dies at 62

Houghton died Saturday, Jan. 25.

The following is from Doherty Funeral Home.

Rita Mary Houghton, 62, of Somerville, passed away Saturday, Jan. 25, 2014, after a long illness.

Rita was the loving daughter of the late Charles and Agnes (Fitzgerald) Houghton of Somerville. She was the beloved sister of Maureen Foster and her husband Michael, Sheila Tracy and her husband Paul, Kathleen, Charles, Brenda and Mary Houghton, all of Somerville, and the late Eileen Phillips of Arlington.

She was the loving aunt of Danielle O’Hearn and her husband Timothy, Megan Costa and her husband Jason, Michael, Jonathan, Brendan and Brian Phillips, Diana and Emily Foster, Christine and Patrick Tracy, Charlie Houghton and the late Alexander Foster, as well as great-aunt of Caiden and Mackenzie O’Hearn and Arianna Costa.

Funeral procession from the George L. Doherty Funeral Home, 855 Broadway, Powder House Square, Somerville, Saturday morning at 9, followed by a funeral mass in St. Catherine Church, Somerville, at 10. Relatives and friends invited. Calling hours Friday, 4-8 p.m.

Rita taught in the Somerville Public Schools for 32 years as a classroom teacher at the East Somerville Community School, Winter Hill Community School and the Brown School, as well as a K-8 librarian and K-8 technology specialist.

Rita also served as Curator of Education for the Franklin Park Zoo and on the Board of Directors of the Gulf of Maine Marine Educators Association.

Rita volunteered her time for a variety of causes, including the Somerville Special Olympics and as an education volunteer at the Stone Zoo. After retirement, Rita devoted much of her time as a volunteer with the Greyhound Adoption Services in Salisbury.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Greyhound Adoption Services, 16 Jak-Len Drive, Salisbury, MA 19520.


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