Rita F. Wade

Newburyport MA- Rita Filomena (Caporizzo) Wade, 91, of Newburyport, MA passed away peacefully on December 21, 2021 surrounded by family, after a long illness.

Rita was born in Boston, MA on January 28, 1930 the daughter of the late Felix and Clara Caporizzo (Bitetti), both of Italy. The second of four children, Rita and her siblings were raised in Roxbury, MA.

She graduated from Roxbury Memorial High School in 1946 and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree from the Teachers College of the City of Boston in 1950. Following her graduation, Rita taught first grade in Boston before marrying her husband Delmas F. Wade on June 16, 1951.

Rita and her husband moved to Norfolk, VA where she continued to teach elementary school children for 3 years. She and her husband settled in Georgetown, MA where they raised their 3 children.  She became a teacher in the Boxford School system, where she taught special needs children reading skills until her retirement.  She was an active member and past president of Saint Mary’s Women’s Club in Georgetown for many years. After her husband’s passing in 1986, she moved to Newburyport MA where she enjoyed many years with family and new friends.

She enjoyed feeding and watching birds with her favorite being the red cardinal. She loved vacationing with her family near the ocean in Maine, playing bingo, putting puzzles together and playing scratch tickets. Rita was a very loving, devoted, caring and generous mother figure that always stressed the importance of a loving family and education.

In addition to her parents and husband, Rita is predeceased by her brothers Patrick and Felix Jr.

Rita is survived by her three children; Wendy Schlessinger and her husband Tom of Amesbury MA, son Scott Wade of Amesbury, MA and daughter Laura Delahanty and her husband Ryan of Holden, MA. She also leaves behind her sister Gloria Swanbon of Georgetown, MA, as well as grandchildren Brian, Melissa, Shauna, Jason, Alec, Shannon, Alanna, Haley and great-grand children Emma, Keegan, Jameson, Aria, Peter, and Liam, as well as several beloved nieces and nephews.

Rita also leaves behind two wonderful friends from her time at the Heritage House in Newburyport, Jennie Jancewicz and Marilyn Stone.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 AM on Saturday, January 8, 2021 in Saint Mary’s Church, 94 Andover St, Georgetown, MA 01833. Immediately following Mass, burial will be at Harmony Cemetery 66 Central St, Georgetown, MA 01833. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Rita’s memory may be made in  to a charity of your choosing.