of Swampscott passed away peacefully on January 1, 2020. Rita was born in Lynn in September of 1929 and had just turned 90. She graduated from Lynn English High School and Hobart and William Smith in New York, and later received certification in library science. Alongside her beloved husband Alvin Fagan, she worked diligently for the family business, Suffolk Upholstering of Lynn, as the bookkeeper, and later loved being the founder of her own successful business, The Sophisticated Shopper, where she sold dishes, silver, and giftware and had a bridal registry. Rita and Alvin were lifelong members of Temple Sinai in Marblehead. She loved doing needlepoint, socializing, entertaining, traveling, and attending theater, opera, and other cultural events in both Boston and New York City. She was an avid reader and loved doing the New York Times crossword puzzles. She was gracious to newcomers at the temple and a magnificent hostess.
Rita was the beloved wife of Alvin Fagan of Swampscott. She was the daughter of Mollie Pruss and Albert Singer of Lynn. She leaves her children Joanne Fagan (Ron Alexander) of Montrose, Colorado, and Mark Fagan (Janet Zerlin Fagan) of Newton as well as her grandchildren Miriam Fagan of Mill Valley, CA, and Abigail Fagan of Brooklyn, New York. Rita was the beloved sister of Bernie Singer and his wife Marilyn, currently of Bal Harbor, Florida, and the proud aunt of David Singer (Sharon Glazer) and the great aunt of Sabrina Singer and her brother Douglas.
Rita’s family wishes to extend heartfelt gratitude to Rita’s caregiver, Gina Subero and her husband Rafael, who cared for Rita lovingly for so many years until the end.
The funeral service will be held at Stanetsky-Hymanson Memorial Chapel, 10 Vinnin Street, Salem on Friday, January 3, 2020. Relatives and friends will be received from 9:30 until 10:30 AM followed by a service in the chapel at 10:30 AM. Interment will follow in Framingham Natick Hebrew Cemetery. Shiva will be observed on Saturday, January 4th from 5:30 until 8:30 PM and then on Sunday, January 5th from 10 AM until 2 PM at the home of Mark and Janet Fagan, Newton Highlands.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Temple Sinai of Marblehead, 1 Community Rd., Marblehead, (http://www.templesinaiweb.org/) or to the Alzheimer’s Association, 309 Waverly Oaks Rd., Waltham, MA 02452 (www.alz.org) For more information or to register in the online guestbook, please visit www.stanetskyhymansonsalem.com .
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