Rita M. (McKenna) McGrail

Rita M. (McKenna) McGrail died peacefully on March 26, 2011 in Brockton, MA from complications of pneumonia. She was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and retired secretary and homemaker.

Rita was born July 24, 1930 to Gertrude (Beaubien) and Stephen McKenna of Lowell, MA where she grew up. She graduated from Lowell High School and worked at Lowell Technology Institute as the executive secretary to the Dean of Students.

Once she started her family with her former husband, Thomas F. McGrail, Sr., she devoted herself to raising her five children and to her home.

In her retirement, Rita volunteered at the Bristol (NH) Senior Center and delivered Meals-On-Wheels there and also in Dracut, MA. She enjoyed discussing current events, playing Bingo and Scrabble, but most of all spending time with her family. She will be fondly remembered as a lovely, kind and caring person.

Rita leaves four sons and one daughter: Thomas McGrail, Jr. and his wife Ann (McSheffrey) of Sharon, MA, Timothy McGrail, Sr. and his wife Sharon (Hayward) of Columbia, MD, Philip McGrail, Sr. and his wife Janine (Cerasuolo) of Hampton, NH, William McGrail and his wife Nancy (Marden) of Merrimack, NH, and Maura McGrail and her husband Jeffrey Essner of Ames, IA. She also leaves nine grandchildren: Timothy Jr., Coralbeth, Crystalina, Philip Jr., Kenneth, Justin, Caitlin, Nicole and Nathan, and five great-grandchildren: Olivia, Finn, Garrett, Hunter and Maeve. Rita was also looking forward to the birth of another great-grandson in June.

Rita was pre-deceased by her brothers Stephen and Kenneth, and sisters Teresa, Helen and Jean. She is also survived by her sister Marguerite, her brother Hugh, her brother David and his wife Judy, sisters-in-law Pauline McKenna and Betty McKenna, as well as many nieces and nephews.