Obituary of Rita A. (Nelson) Wilson

Rita A. (Bourque) (Nelson) Wilson, 84, beloved wife of Lester Wilson of Peabody and the late George Henry Wilson, died on her birthday Monday morning, December 23, 2002 following a courageous battle with cancer. Born in Salem, she was the daughter of the late Benjamin and Elise (Gould) Bourque. She lived there in her youth and attended Salem schools. She married George Henry Nelson and enjoyed a 52-year marriage with him until his death. They lived in Lynn for most of those years. Shortly after his death, she married her current husband, Lester Wilson of Peabody, with whom she shared 11 years of marriage. Mrs. Wilson was a very creative person, and enjoyed crafts and design. She worked all her life in Clothing Design and Dress Making. She owned and operated Rita’ s Alterations and Yarn Goods in Lynn, and often her services were commissioned by many people in the Lynn, Swampscott, Marblehead, and Greater North Shore area. She also taught knitting and sewing classes, and along with her recent companion of 11 years enjoyed travel throughout the country including Las Vegas, Wyoming, and Florida. She like bowling, dancing, and socializing with her family and friends. She lived with five generations, and is survived by: her husband, Lester Wilson of Peabody, with whom she shared 11 years of marriage; four daughters and sons-in-law, Jean & Dave Dow of Maine, Beatrice Chakoutis of Lynn, Carol & Ken Lomasney-Tibbets of West Newbury, and Dennis & Debra Nelson-Torris of Newburyport; one son and daughter-in-law, George & Sandra Nelson, II of Groveland; her step-children, Joanne, Jack, Rose, Betty, William, Brian and George; 16 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandson, many step-grandchildren & great-grandchildren; four sisters, Beatrice Dunn of FL, Dorothy McGlynn of Peabody, Eva Lasano of FL, and Lorraine Levasseur of CA, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her first husband, George Henry Nelson, a sister Irene Chouinnard and brother Richard Bourque. Her funeral will be held on Thursday at 10:30 AM from the Cahill-Brodeur facility at 20 Church St. of the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, Peabody, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11 AM in St. John’ s Church, Peabody, to which relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. A visitation will be held on Thursday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 A.M. in the funeral home. Burial will be in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody.