Rita Rene Lazarus passed away peacefully September 16, 2023. She was born May 19, 1933, in Chicago, IL where she was raised. She attended Schurz High School and was very active in school. She then attended Ripon College in Wisconsin. Rita was employed as a Flight Attendant with American Airlines and worked both domestically and internationally during the 1950’s.
It was in Mexico City where she met her future husband Richard Ivan Lazarus, who was employed at the time as a United States Foreign Diplomat. They both spoke fluent Spanish. After their courtship, they picked the last Saturday in October to get married. It happened to be Halloween of 1959. They settled in San Salvador, Salvador where Richard worked as an attaché for the US Department of Agriculture. They gave birth to their first son, Joseph, and several years later, after relocating to Midland, Michigan, gave birth to their 2nd son, Richard.
They moved to Chattanooga, TN in 1966 where they raised their boys. Rita’s husband Richard worked for Chattem Drug and Chemical before starting his own business, Decision Associates, a valuation and appraisal firm.
Rita’s love of her family was paramount. Rita had many social interests and loved nature, reading, gardening, travel, and good humor. Her favorite flowers were Lilly of the Valley and Maine’s Lupine.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband Richard Ivan Lazarus. She is survived by her son Joseph Christopher (Iulia), Chattanooga, TN, and son Richard (Riq) Behan Lazarus (Victoria), Franklin, TN, as well as grandchildren Braxton Lazarus, Nick Lazarus, and Anna Katarina Lazarus.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers memorials be made to the Rangeley Public Library, Rangeley, Maine in her name. www.rangeleylibrary.org