Obituary of Rita Marie Brown

RITA MARIE O'CONNELL BROWN, 76, of POINT PLEASANT, passed away, Sunday, January 4 at the Ocean Medical Center, Brick. Born in Jersey City, to the late Michael & Jennie O'Connell, she lived there and for many years in North Arlington, moving to Point Pleasant twelve years ago. Rita was a graduate of Saint Aloysius Academy, Jersey City, and Saint Joseph's College, Maryland. She worked for the Jersey City Medical Center and retired as head chemist in 1993. She also was a substitute teacher for Point Pleasant Borough Schools. She loved the arcades at the Point Pleasant Beach Boardwalk and was a communicant of Saint Peter Church. She was predeceased by her first husband, Charles Brown; her second husband, Joseph Brown; her brother, Mickey O'Connell; and her great-grandson, Aiden Basile. Surviving to cherish her memory are her daughters, Susan Taylor of Reston, VA, Cynthia Varakian and her husband Robert of Santa Fe, NM, Celeste Smiley and Kevin Leonard of Belleville, and Sheila DeMedici of Point Pleasant; two sisters, Mary Tantullo and her husband Tom of Brick and Jean Render of Lakewood; seven grandchildren, Sheila Basile, Jennifer & Timothy Smiley, and Christine, Courtney, Erica, and Kelly DeMedici; and her cousin, Dennis O'Connell. She is also survived by nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Visitation will be from 2 - 4 p.m. and 7 - 9 p.m., Wednesday, at THE PABLE - EVERTZ FUNERAL HOME OF POINT PLEASANT, 901 Beaver Dam Road. At 9 a.m., Thursday, Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Peter Church, Point Pleasant Beach, followed by entombment at Holy Cross Cemetery, North Arlington, at 11:15 a.m. As an expression of sympathy, donations made to the Resident Fund Account at Claremont Care Center, (Attention: Lonnie Hulse), 1515 Hulse Road, Point Pleasant, NJ 08742 are suggested.