Rita C. (Coffey) Hurley

DRACUT, MA -Rita M. (Coffey) Hurley, 95 of Dracut, died peacefully on Saturday, March 5, 2016, in her home. Rita was the beloved wife of the late John T. Hurley with whom she celebrated 38 years of marriage until his death in 1985.

Rita was born at home in Lowell, June 2, 1920. The daughter of the late John J. and Margaret (Devlin) Coffey. Her father emigrated from Ireland, her mother from Scotland. Rita was the middle of their three children.

Raised in Belvidere, she received her early education at the Moody School. She enjoyed playing tennis with family and friends at Shedd Park. Rita was a Star Scholar and graduated from Lowell High School, Class of 1937. Following her graduation, she studied Art at Lowell Technical Institute, and was a talented artist using charcoals, pastels, and watercolors.

Rita was employed as a Cost Accountant at Pease Motor Sales Co., and McGowan Educator where she met John before WWII. After John's honorable discharge from the US Navy, they married on May 17, 1947 at the Immaculate Conception Chapel. The newlyweds bought their first home on Coburn St., started a family, and were active members of St. Michael's Parish.

In 1963, they moved to a waterfront home on Long Pond in Dracut and settled there to raise their five children. Rita enjoyed cooking and hosting large family gatherings. At home she loved gardening, knitting, sewing, and reading. She enjoyed traveling with her family along the East Coast to Florida, Ireland, and summers at Hampton Beach.

Rita was a beautiful, giving person, she worked hard to care for the family she loved. She had a store of memories and an experience of life stretching back nearly a century. Rita was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and true friend. She will be remembered for her loving dedication to family and friends.

Rita is survived by her daughter Elaine M. Hurley and son John J. Hurley with whom she made her home in Dracut. She is survived by her daughter Luanne Hurley RN of Dracut, her son and daughter-in-law, Charles F. and Deborah (Sheehan) Hurley RN of Pelham, NH, and son Thomas V. Hurley of Weymouth, MA. She is also survived by two grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, all living in NH, and many nieces and nephews, and their spouses, children, and grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her sister Geraldine E. Coffey in 2009, and her brother John J. Coffey in 2014.

Rita was also the sister-in-law of the late Dolores and Edward R. Wholey, Bernadette and Roy Fletcher, Margaret and Alfred R. Favreau, Estelle Hurley, and Grace Hurley.