Rita-Marie (Spaulding) Thompson

Rita-Marie S. Thompson of Fort Myers, Florida, passed away March 30th after a brief illness. Born September 25, 1922 in Syracuse, NY to Roland and Beatrice (Pope) Spaulding, she grew up in New Rochelle and attended Syracuse University, where she was initiated into Delta Gamma Fraternity, a treasured relationship for her entire life.

In June of 1943, after graduation from Syracuse, she married Guy M Thompson, Jr, a Naval aviator and native Floridian. Leaving New York behind, she spent the next 22 years as a Navy wife in various locations. She was an active volunteer in Navy Relief, Officers Wives Clubs, and various Delta Gamma alumnae organizations. Noteworthy was the assignment to Barbers Point NAS, Oahu, when Hawaii was still a U.S. territory.

When her husband retired from the Navy in 1962, she began teaching English and Humanities at R. L. Paschal High School in Fort Worth, Texas. She proudly called Texas her home for the next 30 years. She was active in the Fort Worth Woman's Club, serving as president of the Shakespeare Club and active in the Beaux Arts Club. She also became a popular docent at the Amon Carter Museum of Western Art, where she conducted special tours for the Directors of the Cowboy Hall of Fame Museum in Oklahoma and other prestigious groups. She and Guy visited the desert Southwest numerous times, exploring Anasazi ruins and many reservations. Travel remained one of the joys of her life.

When they both had retired from teaching in Fort Worth, they visited relatives in Fort Myers and decided to leave Fort Worth for Florida. They happily ensconced themselves at Seven Lakes, and Rita-Marie was active in Greeters (past president), Continental Women's Club, and the Delta Gamma alumnae chapter. Widowed in 2010, she continued in Continental Women's Club until her death at 96.

She was predeceased by husband Guy (August 2010) and son Lee (February 2017). She is survived by her daughter Anne Thompson Peck, son-in-law Ron, their family, nieces Vicky (Thompson) Soto and Gay Thompson, along with other extended family. Memorial services will be private at a future date.

Published in The News-Press on Apr. 7, 2019