Cover photo for Rita Margarite Harriet Snedden's Obituary
1934 Rita 2024

Rita Margarite Harriet Snedden

January 11, 1934 — December 13, 2024

London, Ontario

Rita Margarite Snedden (née Wright), just shy of her 91st birthday, passed away on Friday, December 13th, 2024. Given the phenomenal woman that Rita was, it is only appropriate that she would choose to exit on a day associated with a blend of superstition, intrigue, and fascination.

Rita Margarite (or Rita Mad-Hat, as she called herself when she was small because she could not pronounce Margarite) was born on January 11, 1934, in Almonte, ON, to Harrison, Legora, and Alexander. Rita, a Lanark County smoke show, met and married her devoted husband and partner in crime of 63 years, Ronald (“Ronnie”) Snedden. Together, Rita and Ronnie raised their four children: Cheryl, Lynne (Frank), Sandy (Jackie), and Lisa. Rita leaves behind a very dysfunctional family that she was extremely proud of, as well as a huge asparagus fern that Ronnie would like to see gone as soon as possible.

In her early years, Rita worked for the government in border security, the particulars surrounding her position were classified and above our rank, so we are fuzzy on the details. What we do know is that, back in those days, Rita would not have turned down a martini, shaken, not stirred; we guess we will never really know.

Rita was well known for her lack of patience, not holding back her opinion, and a knack for telling it like it is (if you were one of the lucky ones, she likely read you from the book). She always told you the truth, even if it was not what you wanted to hear. It was the school of hard knocks, and yes, she told us many times about how she had to walk for miles in a blizzard to get to school, so suck it up, buttercup. With that said, she was genuine to a fault, a pussy cat at heart (more like a lion, really), and yet she sugar-coated nothing. Everyone always knew where they stood with Rita. She liked you or she didn't; it was black or white. Ronnie and her children are still trying to figure out which one it was for them (but they do know that she loved them fiercely). 

Rita was predeceased by her siblings and siblings-in-law: Jimmy, Sandy, Ronnie, Adelle, Joanie, Leonard, Karen, Dellene, and Beth. Rita will be sorely missed and is survived by her siblings and siblings-in-law: Eleanor (Joe), Dianne (the late Laurie), Cheryle (Mel), Delbert, Marilyn, Janice (Wilf), Rod (Anne), Cathy (Cliff), and Kim.

Rita was a bragger and would tell anyone and everyone about her grandchildren: Kristal (Rich), Amanda (Darryl), Kole, Ashleigh (Alan), Kayleigh (Ryan), Sabrina, Lauren (Trevor), Jessica (Taylor), Zachary (Sarah), and Rebecca. The only thing she talked about more than her grandchildren were her great-grandchildren: Owen, Maddison, Everett, Harrison, Hunter, Breelle, Henry, Audrey, Harper, Everly, Olive, and the beautiful late Charlie.

Rita will also be missed by her nieces, nephews, extended family, and many friends. Rita is unforgettable, she loved hard and was loved dearly in return. Her tenacity, wit, charm, and grace (when pertinent) has been handed down to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and she will live on in the hearts of all who were lucky enough to have met her.

You can take the girl out of the valley, but you can’t take the valley out of the girl. Rita loved all of God’s creatures, and as Ronnie is not fond of all the plants she left behind, we would ask that in lieu of flowers, consideration be given to the following charities:

 ▪ Humane Society London and Middlesex

https://humanesocietylm.givecloud.co/product/MEM/memorial-donation

▪ Salthaven Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Centre

https://checkout.square.site/buy/A723EBV7G2HEKVZDJHQT3W6K

▪ LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society 

https://longrunretirement.com/donate-now/ 

 In the words of Rita, “Always bet on the grey for Legora!"

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