1921 - 2011 - Rita Patricia McKnight (nee Blizzard) passed into the arms of her loving Saviour on Saturday, March 26, in Guelph, ON. Predeceased by husband Allan, parents Melville and Miriam (Wilson) Blizzard, brothers Fred (Kaye) Blizzard and Lorne (Mae) Blizzard, sister Gertrude (Albert) Foster. Survived by daughter Ann (Neil) Bramble, Guelph; son Carl (Charmaine) McKnight, Fonthill, ON; grandchildren Crystal (Bill) McGowan, Richmond, BC; Colleen (Colin) Peters, Coquitlam, BC; Michael (Ana) McKnight, Welland, ON; Allyson (Jordan Diacur) McKnight, Hamilton, ON; Jeffrey (Jessica Mills) McKnight, St. Catharines, ON; great-grandchildren Melodie (Brad Hendy) Dewsbury, Abbotsford, BC; Allayne McGowan and Scott McGowan, Richmond, BC; Reghan Peters and Ryan Peters, Coquitlam, BC; brothers Leonard (Berenice) Blizzard, Harding’s Point, NB; Arthur (Joan) Blizzard, Saint John, NB; several nieces and nephews. Remembered as Grammy Rita by the Wilton family, Fredericton. Rita was born to Melville and Miriam Blizzard on January 14, 1921, in Saint John, NB. During her almost 50 years of marriage she lived in Sussex and Saint John, NB; California; Geary and New Maryland, NB. She later moved to Fredericton and then to the Niagara region, Ontario, to be closer to her children, and finally to Guelph. She was a longtime member of Brunswick St. Baptist Church, where she sang in the choir until age 80. Her gifts of hospitality and compassion were evidenced by the countless number of meals and baking provided for those who were sick or bereaved. She baked and decorated literally hundreds of wedding and birthday cakes. All of Rita’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren gathered together at The Village of Riverside Glen in Guelph in January to celebrate her 90th birthday, a very special time.
Visitation will be at McAdam’s Funeral Home, 160 York St., Fredericton, NB, on Friday, April 1, 2011, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Celebration of Life Service to be held on Saturday, April 2nd at 2:00 p.m. at Brunswick St. Baptist Church, 161 York St., Fredericton. Reception to follow. In lieu of flowers memorial donations gratefully accepted by The Gideons or Brunswick St. Baptist Church Building Fund.