Rita Castor

Rita was a force of nature in a 4’11” frame. For 97 years, she lived life on her own terms, fiercely independent and perpetually in motion. To Rita, a home was a place you lived, not a place you were "put," and she defended that autonomy until the very end. She was the Energizer Bunny: a woman who never met a floor she couldn't clean, a grandchild she couldn’t make smile or a pot of gravy she couldn't finesse.

If Rita’s kitchen was her sanctuary, her Sunday gravy was her gospel. It was a masterclass in Italian tradition—meatballs, sausage, pork, and braciole and customized to make sure the ingredients fit everyone at the table. Her cooking had a precision that couldn't be replicated. No matter how many times she shared her recipes, the "Rita Touch” could not be duplicated.

In her later years, she traded the stove for an iPad, becoming a digital artist who flooded the family’s inboxes with paint-by-number masterpieces. She was a woman of simple pleasures: the Hallmark Channel, Dancing with the Stars, and Wheel of Fortune every night at 7:30 sharp. She was a woman of faith who died with rosary beads in her hand, having worn out countless sets throughout a lifetime of prayer.

Everyone loved her distinct vocabulary: In her world, you ate asparagrass and took I-demodium for a touch of diverticulotum. She was quick with an opinion and even quicker with a "Rita-twist": she’d tell you she liked your shirt, but then gently remind you the color was doing you no favors.

She was born and raised in Philadelphia and resided in Maple Shade.

A couple of handsome guys walked into a swim club on the Boulevard in Philadelphia and saw two pretty girls sitting poolside. The late Wayne and his buddy Jack would approach Rita and her friend Cass; two marriages sprang from the interaction. The Castors shared a 72-year marriage blessed by 4 children: Barbara Castor, Jacqueline (Tim) Ronayne, Wayne (Donna) Castor and Robert (Julie); grandchildren, Sandy McConaghy, Frank Sermarini, Shaun (Kim) O’Keefe, Megan (Paul) Denson, Tyler Ronayne, Jonathan (Morgan) Castor, Abbey Castor and Stephanie Castor; and great grandchildren, Jake, Collin, Katie, Mason, Emerson, Christian and Shepherd. Rita is survived by a bevy of nieces and nephews with whom she stayed in constant contact.

Come celebrate 97 great years, Saturday, July 11th, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Mark C. Tillman Funeral Home, 38 North Forklanding Road, Maple Shade where there will be a noon service. In lieu of flowers, donations to Rita’s favorite charity, St Jude’s Hospital (stjude.org), will be appreciated.