Margaret "Rita" Diamond

Diamond, Margaret “Rita”, 84, of Winter Park, FL, passed away April 29, 2014. Rita was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland on Oct. 6, 1929, the daughter of John and Bridget (nee Breen) Teeney. Her family immigrated to Brooklyn, NY in Sept. 1930. She was graduated from St. Joseph High School. In high school, Rita worked at a hospital serving food trays to soldiers returning with war wounds. Later she worked at Our Lady of the Scapular Catholic Church rectory, New York City, for Carmelite priests.

Rita met her husband, Edmond Diamond, at an Irish dance in Manhattan. They were married on May 5, 1951 in St. Joseph’s Church, Brooklyn and lived in Ozone Park, Queens. Rita worked as a secretary for Northwest Airlines until a move to West Babylon, NY and the arrival of her four children. She was active in church events, joined a bowling league, and drove her children to dance recitals and scout meetings.

In 1967 Rita and Edmond moved their family to Winter Park, FL and opened Living Interiors, an interior decorating / upholstery store on Park Avenue. She loved Winter Park, joined St. Margaret Mary Catholic parish, and was active with organizing the Winter Park Art Festival. In 1971 they opened Diamond’s Interiors in Orlando’s College Park. During their time on Edgewater Drive, Rita helped organize the College Park Arts Festival.

Rita and Ed enjoyed activities at the Irish-American Cultural Society, and participated in all Irish-related events in Central Florida for more than 40 years. She was active in the Winter Park St. Patrick’s parade and was named “Queen of the Parade” in 2003. Rita and Ed worked bingo at St. Margaret Mary, and she participated in the Catholic Daughters of America and Quota Club International raising funds to help the hearing-impaired. They loved to dance and were members of the Orla Vista Firehouse Squares.

Rita loved vacationing on Sanibel Island, collecting thousands of shells on the beach, and in Ormond-by-the-Sea, watching sea turtles nest along the Atlantic. She loved to needlepoint, and collected Christmas village pieces. Rita had a beautiful singing voice and loved show tunes. She was a fan of old Westerns, but also enjoyed a good police drama. An avid reader, Rita loved a good mystery novel. She had a green thumb and grew beautiful roses, birds of paradise, Christmas cactus and poinsettias. In retirement Rita worked for a floral wholesaler in Apopka. She loved all animals, especially her cat Starlight.

Rita’s husband Edmond passed away in 2009. She is survived by a son, John, Jacksonville, FL; daughters Claire Diamond Sano and son-in-law Anthony Sano of Jacksonville, FL; Ann Diamond Tate of Orlando; and Laura Diamond of Jacksonville. She was “Nanny” to her four grandchildren, Athena Tate of San Antonio, TX; Siobhan Tate of Austin, TX; Natasha Tate of Orlando; and Nicholas Sano of Jacksonville, FL.

Two viewings will be held on Monday, May 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at Baldwin-Fairchild Funeral Home – Goldenrod Chapel, 7520 Aloma Avenue, Winter Park, FL 32792 (407) 677-5091. A Funeral Mass will be held at noon on Tuesday, May 6 at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 526 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, FL with Rev. Dan Cody and Rev. Tom Cody of Jacksonville, FL officiating. A reception will be held immediately afterward in the church hall, with interment at All Faiths Memorial Park, 1390 Park Dr., Casselberry, FL 32707 (407) 331-1910 at 3 p.m.