Rita Boudrieau Huntley

She was born in Jaffrey, NH, September 9, 1927 the daughter of William M and Roselda (Borey) Boudrieau. Her family relocated to Keene in 1930, making it their permanent home. After attending Keene High School, Rita earned a certificate of home nursing.

She met and married the love of her life, Roger Huntley in 1947 and they enjoyed 38 years of marriage before his death in 1985. They raised two sons, Bruce and Brian and she was very involved in their lives as they went through their growing years. She made good use of her nursing training when later in her life her mother lost both legs and needed continuous attention. Rita took great care and made her mom’s life as happy as possible. Later her husband and father both needed her nursing experience and she excelled in caring for them also.

Rita worked at New England Box Company during the Second World War as a nailer preparing K-Rations boxes for the servicemen, later at the former Princess Shoe Company in Keene, and for New England Telephone Company.

Rita loved to travel and visited many places including: Canada, Mexico, Cayman Islands, Hollywood, Las Vegas, Reno and many more exciting places. Along with her husband Roger, her sons and her parents, Rita enjoyed several trips to Arizona where they visited with friends.

Rita’s home was a popular gathering place as she was always a gracious hostess. Family and friends felt free to drop in most anytime. She was big hearted and knew how to help others who were in need. She always gave good advice to the younger generation by sharing her wisdom and by supporting their endeavors, whatever that may have been. She filled her many obligations as daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, friend and gracious hostess with love and sincerity and a special talent for caring and nurturing.

Rita was a communicant of St. Bernard Church in Keene and was a member of the Alter Society. She was a member of the Gordon Bissell American Legion Keene Post #4 Auxiliary and the V.F.W. Keene Post 799 Auxiliary.

She had a special bond with her pets, especially her white cat named Bonkers. She enjoyed playing Bingo, going to yard sales, solving crossword puzzles, working in her vegetable garden and shopping. Rita created a Christmas “shake gift” tradition with her family that will surely continue through the generations. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her

Survivors include her two sons, Bruce Huntley and his wife, Jenny, of Murphy, NC, Brian Huntley and his wife, Debbie, of Bellingham, MA, six grandchildren: Molly Seavey and her husband, Joel, of Keene, Andrew Huntley of Sullivan, NH, Cara and Erin Huntley both of Bellingham, Curtis Huntley and his wife, Kate, of Florida, Jill Brown and her husband, Tim, of Brookline, NH, eleven great-grandchildren, Brody and Nichole Seavey, Riley, Tanner and Bailey Huntley, Kerri Roehrig, Cadie Graham, Chad and Hannah Brown, Grayson and Finn Huntley, her cousin, Marie Sawyer Hartmann, and many special friends and relatives. She was predeceased by her parents; her husband, Roger, two brothers, William and Norman, a sister Irene who died in infancy, and a long time family friend, Florence Swanstrom.

A memorial service will be held Monday, December 19, 2011 at 11:00 AM in the Foley Funeral Home, 49 Court Street, Keene. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, Main Street, Keene. Family and friends are invited to call on Monday from 10:00 to 11:00 AM at the Foley Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Mrs. Huntley’s memory to Home Health Care Hospice and Community Services, PO Box 564, Keene NH 03431.