KILMARNOCK—Rita Elizabeth Cotter passed away Monday, September 18, in Kilmarnock at age 93.
She was born in Clarkson, N.Y., on February 22, 1924, to the late Stephen and Luella Marshall.
In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her sister, Margaret Sanford; and brothers, Charles, Raymond, Richard and Glenn Marshall; and her daughter, Dianne Blankenship, who passed away in 2016.
She is survived by her brother, Robert Marshall and his wife, Mary, of Brockport; son, Douglas and his wife, Anne, of Kilmarnock; and son, Derek (Rick) and his wife, Beverley, of Raleigh, N.C. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Beth McDermott and her husband, Jim, of Rochester, N.Y., Anne Ryan and her husband, Tom, of Severna Park, Md., and Brett Cotter of Raleigh; and five great-grandchildren, Brady, Casey and Kelly McDermott, and Collin and Ashley Ryan.
Rita’s brothers were very special to her growing up—she and Charlie won local jitterbug contests and they taught her to ride a Harley. One of the special photos her family has is that of a teenage Rita in helmet and goggles sitting on the Harley. After her marriage, she and her family lived in the Rochester area for many years. While in New York, she and her former husband bred and showed German shepherds and Rhodesian ridgebacks. One of their ridgebacks won best in breed in a New York dog show.
In 1957, the family moved to the Asheville, N.C., area where she enjoyed her ridgebacks, horseback riding with Dianne and attending horse shows. She moved to Kilmarnock in 2013.
A private burial will be held in Fletcher, N.C., at a later date. Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of Virginia, PO Box 2098, Tappahannock, VA 22560.
