Rita Louise Wilson

Rita’s formal education began in the DC Public Schools. She attended Mott Elementary, Banneker Jr. High School, and graduated from McKinley Technical High School in 1959. She earned a BS Degree in Elementary Education and taught at Charles Young and Leckie Elementary Schools in Washington, DC for several years while pursuing a Masters Degree in Teaching from Trinity College.

In 1976 she left the teaching profession to being a career with the US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, and Employment Litigation Section (ELS) where she advanced to Equal Opportunity Specialist working on many major cases including US v. Bexar County. Texas (testified at trial), US v. North Carolina Agricultural Extension Service (testified at trial).

In 1988, Rita advanced to Civil Rights Analyst in charge of the Right-to-Sue Unit of the ELS, responsible for reviewing Requests for Notice of Right to Sue and issuing right-to-sue notices to persons who filed charges of employment discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended and Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 against state or local government employers. Under her leadership and five member staff, the most voluminous number if rights-to-sue in the history of the ELS were discharged. Rita received numerous awards for outstanding performance of her duties on a continuing basis until her retirement in 1997.

Prior to her retirement, Rita and two of her colleagues formed Faith Fellowship. Member at lunchtime for prayer, fellowship, and Bible study. They also ministered to the homeless in the area by providing them with nutritious lunch, prayer, emotional support, and assistance.

Rita was a teenager when she accept Jesus as her personal Savior. She was baptized Mt. Bethel Baptist Church and served faithfully on the Usher Board. Her early Christian life was greatly influenced by her parents who provided a long Christian home where spiritual ideals of honesty, hard work, and love for those in need were paramount.

In 1988, she joined Metropolitan Baptist Church (MBC) in Washington, DC but left years later due to a family crisis and began worshipping at nearby Northeastern Presbyterian Church (NPC) where she officially became a member in 2002. While at NPC she was a faithful Bible Study attendee, a Vacation Bible School teacher and an active servant in several other church programs. She also served as a greeter liturgist and delivered mini-sermons to children during Sunday morning services. In 2004 she was ordained a Deaconess and later became one of the few females to head the Board of Deacons at NPC. In 2008, Rita renewed her membership with MBC.

Rita has numerous interests. She enjoyed photography, interior decorating, ceramics, the theater, growing and tending flowers in her flower gardens and likewise was an avid reader and belonged to a book club for over ten years. Most of all, she enjoyed her personal relationship with God received through daily prayer and Bible study. Her faith and belief in God always sustained her. She had a warm, caring spirit that touched the lives of many throughout the years. She was always ready to lend a helping hand or a kind word to neighbors, family, and friends. She also support numerous Christian ministries throughout the years including Charles Stanley’s InTouch Ministries, the Daystar Television Network and others, Her loyalty, friendship, and love will be cherished by the lives she touched.

Left to hold dear her memory are a devoted son and accomplished filmmaker, Timothy (aka Black Magic Tim), Kelly Pratt, one sister, Sylvia Benoit (John), one brother, Alan Wilson (Patricia), one sister-in-law, Vanessa Wilson, a host of nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.fort-lincoln.com for the Wilson family.