Rita Mary Gauvin

ATHOL - Rita Mary Gauvin, of Athol, died in her sleep on Thursday, August 25, 2011 at the age of 89. She was the beloved wife of Charles L. Gauvin.     Rita was born in Athol but raised in the central Adirondacks of New York State, the oldest daughter of French-Canadian immigrants Levi and Marie Elizabeth Plantain Boudreau. She attended Holy Ghost Academy in Tupper Lake, NY, and graduated from Athol High School after her family moved back to Massachusetts.     In Athol, Rita met Charles Gauvin who had moved there as a boy with his family from Petite Lameque on Shippigan Island off the French-speaking northern coast of New Brunswick, Canada. They were married at St. Henry’s Church in Long Lake, NY.                  Her son, Ronald C. Gauvin, died in 2006. She leaves a daughter-in-law, Susan Gauvin of Greenfield; a daughter, Barbara Wagner and her husband Stephen of Maynard. Mrs. Gauvin had two grandsons, Clement and Adam Wagner of Maynard and Watertown, respectively, a granddaughter, Lisa Gauvin, now Mrs. James Poole, living in Chalfont St. Giles, England, and two great-grandchildren, Spencer and Samantha Poole. She is also survived by her sister, Jean Sotelo of Alabama; her brother, George Boudreau of Long Lake; several nieces and nephews and numerous cousins.     An avid reader, Rita was skilled at crewel embroidery, played the piano, and liked to cook. She was active in Our Lady Immaculate Church and the Athol Hospital Auxiliary. She enjoyed her family, friends, and music.     A funeral Mass for Rita and her husband, Charlie, will be held on Thursday, September 29, 2011 at Our Lady Immaculate Church in Athol.  A calling hour will be held on Thursday, September 29, 2011 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Fiske-Murphy & Mack Funeral Home, 110 New Athol Road, Orange.  Burial in Gethsemane Cemetery, Athol, will be held at a later date.     In lieu of flowers, friends may make memorial contributions to Our Lady Immaculate Church, 192 School Street, Athol, MA 01331, where she and her husband were lifelong members, or to the non-profit Baldwinville Nursing Home which gave Rita excellent care and may be sent to 51 Hospital Road, P. O. Box 24, Baldwinville, MA 01436-1247. $(document).ready(function(){ });