DUNEDIN, Fla. – Rita C. Van Dyk Knowles, 85, born Sept. 11, 1918, passed away at her home in Dunedin, Fla., on Jan. 11, 2004. Born in East Orange, N.J., to parents who had emigrated from Holland, the family moved to Bangor, where she remained until all her children were raised. She was an accomplished seamstress who could make any article of clothing after seeing it in a store window or a picture. For many years she was active in community theater, in both Maine and Florida where she acted, sang, choreographed, danced, and designed and made costumes. During Rita’s years in Florida, she was a member of a champion bowling team, learned to play Mah-jongg, and gave valuable time to various volunteer organizations. She loved to travel, and enjoyed trips to the Netherlands, Ireland, and other parts of Europe, and participated in several Windjammer Cruises. A lifelong reader, and avid crossword puzzle solver, Rita also loved music, and was a self-taught pianist and organist, who encouraged these avocations in her children. Rita leaves two sons, Casey of Coolin, Idaho, and Kevin, of Norwood, Mass.; two daughters, Karen Knowles-Pearce of San Francisco, Calif., and Kim of Norwood, Mass.; sons-in-law, Norman Pearce and Jack Pezzone; two grandchildren, Paul Knowles of San Francisco, and Katie Knowles, of Sandpoint, Idaho; three sisters, Gertrude (Bowdie) Bowden of Bangor, Jane (George) McMahon of Portland, and Martha (Jack) Savage of North Carolina; one brother, John Van Dyk of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; and several nieces and nephews. Rest in peace, mum.
RITA C. VAN DYK KNOWLES
