Obituary of Rita Cassibault

FRIEDA “RITA” CASSIBAULT After a very brief illness at the age of 95, while completing the Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy on All Saints Day with her daughter Wendy in the CCU of Scarborough Centenary Hospital and with her scapular of Mary wrapped around her wrist, Rita began a new and glorious journey. Rita emigrated from Whitechapel First, London, England at the age of 2 to Timmins, Ontario. Her parents died at an early age and her sister Anita and herself braved the depression together. Rita was a wireless operator stationed in the RCAF for almost 2 years in Vancouver, BC in World War II and won many awards for her speed. She met her husband Noah in remedial school after the war. He had been a flight lieutenant in the RCAF stationed overseas in England. In 1948 they were married and Rita and Cass raised three children, Christopher, Wendy (longtime friend Maureen) and Karen (and George). She is also survived by 4 grandchildren, Christine- Sarah, Katherine, Paul and Jennifer. Mom was originally a stay at home mom until the kids went to school. She became the secretary for St. Thomas Aquinas Church. In her 50s Rita went back to school to become a medical secretary and achieved first class Honours. She worked for OHIP. Upon her husband’s retirement they moved to Fenelon Falls and built their dream home. After Cass died in 1990, mom eventually relocated to Peterborough in the same apartment building as her sister Anita. Here she was under a watchful eye of niece Sandra Reid and her other nieces Arlene Parsons and Peggy Covey. Diagnosed with dementia and stages of Alzheimer’s, Rita first lived with her son Chris in Scarborough for 9 years before transferring after a hip replacement at the age of 92 to Seven Oaks Long Term Care Facility. What a marvelous place. Rita painted, won bingo games, talked to the fish, petted all the dogs that came to visit and looked for treats. She said hello to everyone and with her walker was faster than the rest of us to get to the dining room. Her faith was always at the forefront of activities. Rita was a passionate reader. Special thanks to all the staff at Seven Oaks who touched Rita’s life - doctors, nurses, PSWs, administrators and all others. Thank you for the swift help of the doctors and nurses at CCU at Scarborough Centenary Hospital. Funeral arrangements will be as follows: Visitation at Ogden Funeral Home, 4164 Sheppard Avenue E. from 2-5 p.m., Sunday, November 6th. At 10:30 a.m. Monday, November 7th Mass will be celebrated at St. Barnabas Roman Catholic Church at 10 Washburn Way (Markham and Sheppard). Lunch to follow and will be announced after the Mass. Interment will be for immediate family only at Fenelon Falls Cemetery around 3:30 p.m. Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers.