Rita S. (Dupuis) Gagnon

LEOMINSTER - Rita S. (Dupuis) Gagnon, 96 of 36 Whitman St., Leominster, died Monday, February 24, 2014 in the UMass Memorial Medical Center, Worcester, after a short illness. Rita was born in Notre Dame, New Brunswick, Canada, on December 11, 1917, the daughter of the late Maxime and the late Domethilde (Doucet) Dupuis.  After her mother's passing, when she was two years of age, she was raised by Damien and Edna Goguen of Caragne, New Brunswick.   She came to Leominster when she was 18 and later married Conrad Gagnon.   They had no children.  She grew up and attended school in New Brunswick, Canada.  She was a presser at the Arrow Shirt company in Leominster for many years and also worked for Pyrotec as a machine operator.  She was a communicant of St. Cecilia's Church where she was active in the Charismatic Movement and was a member of the Ladies of St. Anne.  She enjoyed going to church, shopping, spending time with her family and friends and going to Cogshell Park. She leaves her God-daughter and caregiver:  Nancy Bessette of Fitchburg; a close niece:  Jeannine Caisse of Fitchburg; a close friend Kitty Billotta of Leominster; many nephews and nieces in the U.S. and Canada; many great nieces and great nephews. She was predeceased by her birth parents and her adoptive parents; her husband Conrad Gagnon; four brothers:  Aquila, Blair, Clifford and Oscar Dupuis all of Canada; two sisters:  Ella Cormier of Ware and Emelda Cormier of Leominster; two half sisters:  Lilly Brown and Flora Dupuis-also know as Sister St. Calixte of the Little Sister of the Holy Family in Montreal Canada. We wish to thank all those who gave of their time and caring while she was in the hospital. Funeral services will be held Friday, February 28, 2014 at 11:30 a.m. in St. Cecilia's Church, 180 Mechanic Street, Leominster.  Burial will follow in St. Cecilia's Cemetery. A calling hours will be held from 10 - 11 a.m. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made in her memory to St. Cecilia's Church Restoration Fund, 180 Mechanic Street, Leominster, MA 01453 For more information or to sign our online guest book please visit www.simardfuneralhome.com. Simard Funeral Home 14 Walker Street, Leominster is directing arrangements. $(document).ready(function(){ });