Rita Lyman

Rita Lyman, age 85, of Hampton, Virginia passed away on Sunday, June 4, 2023. Rita Lyman was born to parents Lester and Hilda Poteat on Sunday, May 15, 1938, in Waynesville, North Carolina. Rita grew up in Hampton and Newport News, Virginia, where her fondest childhood memories were formed. She attended Newport News High School, graduated from Hampton High School in 1957, and later graduated with a Summa Cum Laude degree at Chattanooga State College in 1985. After graduation, she began her lifelong career of over 40 years in the medical field as a Medical Records Coder. Rita met her late husband, Ritchey Lyman in 1976, where they were happily married for 35 years until his passing in 2012. Their relationship consisted of a lot of travel and a whole lot of love. On her last evening of life, Rita mentioned, “Well, I might as well go, Papa is already there,” indicating the lasting love that was felt in her heart for Ritchey, our Papa. Rita is predeceased in death by her husband, Ritchey Lyman, her parents Lester and Hilda Poteat, her sisters Barbra and Polly, and her son Stephen Williams. Rita is survived by her niece Debbie, her sons Allen and Keith, her daughter Rhonda, and their children, Leah, Ryan, Savannah, Spencer, Ian, Caitlin, Shane, and Braxton. Rita is also survived by her three great-grandchildren, Iya, Salem, and Aben. Rita, or better known as Nana, had a wonderful sense of humor with an infectious laugh that lit up any room she entered. She was the best at remembering birthdays, and never once forgot a birthday card for her loved ones, as she kept her calendar full to the end of each year. Rita loved her family unconditionally, and we can still feel her love and smell her infamous, “White Diamond” perfume even today. A Carolina girl at heart, Rita loved spending time outside with family and reading. She was a true embodiment of a “Sunday’s Child,” full of grace, wisdom, and intellect. The family will receive friends on Saturday, July 8, 2023 at Parklawn-Wood Funeral Home at 1:00 PM, followed by a Celebration of Life at 2:00 PM. Rita will be interred next to her husband, Ritchey, at Arlington National Cemetery. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the family at parklawn-woodfh.com.