Obituary of Rita M. Eaton

Rita Mae Eaton                                  Loving Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother
Allegany, NY      Rita Mae Eaton of 3508 Five Mile Road passed away Tuesday, (January 22, 2019) in the loving presence of her family.
Born May 20, 1926 in Allegany she was the daughter of Fred and Lena Gallets Nenno.  On May 24, 1945 at St. Bonaventure in Allegany she married Alfred J. Eaton who predeceased her on December 10, 2013.
Rita started her education in a one room school house on the Four Mile Road and graduated from Allegany Central High School.  While in high school she was part of a group of young women who called themselves the “Laugh-A-Lots”.  This group stayed close throughout her lifetime.  After she graduated from High School in 1943 she attended Cosmetology School in Buffalo and worked as a hairstylist at the “Powder Puff Salon” in Olean.  She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother and enjoyed her family. Rita also held office positions in two family businesses, Henley Square Co., Inc. and Alfred J. Eaton Development Co., Inc.

Surviving are two daughters Joan (Kenneth) Strotman of Fredericksburg, VA., and Jeanette (Jeffrey) Preston of Olean; three sons, Edward Eaton of Olean, Alfred (Kathryn) Eaton of Fredericksburg, VA., and Joseph (Linda) Eaton of Spartanburg, SC.; 13 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; a very special niece Marcia Nenno; a very special nephew Patrick Eaton; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband she was predeceased by one brother Louis Nenno, and three sisters, Blanche Granger, Kathleen "Kassie" Eaton, and M. Evelyn Harris.
Friends will be received at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home 3128 West State Road, Olean on Friday, February 1, 2019 from 5 pm to 8 pm.  Funeral Services will be held Saturday, February 2, 2019 beginning with a prayer service at 9:00 am in the funeral home followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 am at St. Bonaventure Church.  Fr. James Vacco, OFM, pastor, and Fr. David Tourville of the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels will concelebrate.  Burial will be in St. Bonaventure Cemetery.
Memorials, if desired, may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or to the Alzheimer’s Association of WNY, 2805 Wehrle Drive Suite 6, Williamsville, NY 14221.
Online condolences may be expressed at oleanfuneralhome.com