Rita Jeannette Coutu Dunn, 88, passed gently away at her home on May 10, 2015, welcomed at the pearly gates, no doubt, by her beloved sisters. Rita is predeceased by her parents, Oscar and Roseanna Coutu; sisters Irene, Loretta, Mary, Aurora and Doris; brothers Eugene, Leonard, Anthony and Clarence; stepbrothers Joe and Oscar; and husband Holmes Keel Dunn. Born 1927 in Woonsocket, RI to a Canadian immigrant father and Native American mother, Rita attended parochial school until being swept off her feet at the age of 16 by H.K., a WWII sailor stationed in Rhode Island. She married and moved to North Carolina where she was a faithful and loving wife and mother to daughter Jeannette Sollee and son H.K., Jr. (‘Buck’). Upon moving to Norfolk, VA, Rita was a dedicated hairdresser at Rita’s Beauty Salon on Vero St. for many years. In the spare time that she did not have, Rita cultivated an enormous garden and canned many a tomato. Her chicken and dumplings were unmatched and she cooked a mean breakfast.

She is survived by her loving daughter, Jeannette Dunn; son Buck Dunn and his wife, Jody; grandchildren Allen Morse, III, Jeannie Morse Flanagan (Roy), Cortney Morse Doucette (John‐Henry), Holly Dunn, Chad Dunn, Tyler Dunn (Jennifer); and great‐grandchildren Jesse, Colby, Fletcher, Bailey, Avonlea, Lucas, Vivienne, Josephine, Beatrice, Kaiden and Emma. She is also remembered by her devoted nieces and nephews in Rhode Island: Richard & Lorraine Provencher and daughter Sarah Provencher Rondeau (David), Diane and Tony Borges and daughter Andrea, Jody Malloy, and Sandra and Charles Lemoine. Rita loved and was loved, and she will be deeply missed.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, May 16, 2015, 2:00 pm, at Family Choice Funerals & Cremations, 5401 Indian River Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23464. Rev. Walt Whitehurst will officiate the service.

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