Rita G. Burns

Rita Gabrielle (Demers) Burns passed away peacefully on August 1, 2021 at St. Teresa Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Manchester, NH after a brief illness. She was 93 years old.

She was born in Manchester on June 7, 1928 to Joseph and Dina Demers, the 12th of 13 children. She graduated from St. Joseph High School for Girls in 1946. In 1949 she moved to Oakland, CA where, in 1950, she married James F. Burns, Jr., also of Manchester, NH. They returned to Manchester in 1952. Rita’s career included Doble’s Chevrolet, Merchants Bank, and Public Service Company of New Hampshire. After moving to Concord, NH in 1969, Rita worked for Concord Electric Company and later, Unitil of Exeter, NH until she retired in 1992.
Rita was pre-deceased by her elder son, James F. Burns, III, and by her husband, James F. Burns, Jr. She was the last of the 13 Demers children to pass away.
She is survived by her son Thomas Michael Burns of Manchester; five grandchildren: Rebecca Lynn (Burns) Sperry and her husband Jason of Manchester, Ethan Andrew Burns and his wife Cassandra of Windham, NH, Aaron Joseph Burns of Laconia, NH, Ian Fairbanks Burns of Tempe, AZ, and Aidan Thomas Burns of Atlanta, GA; one great-grandson: Lucas Henry Burns of Windham, NH; numerous nieces and nephews.
Due to covid, a memorial mass will be held at a future date, to be determined.