LAFFORD, Rita Elizabeth – Grand Greve, Cape Breton, passed away peacefully, on Tuesday, November 8, 2011, in the Strait Richmond Hospital, Evanston, with her nieces at her bedside. Born March 4, 1919, she was the youngest daughter of the late George and Annie (Linloff) Lafford, and the last surviving member of her immediate family. Rita was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church in Halifax and a present member of St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church. Rita retired after 35 dedicated years with the Royal Bank main branch in Halifax, where she made many lifelong friendships. After retirement , Rita moved back to her beloved family homestead in Grand Greve, where she maintained the property with great pride, tending to her little park area, as well as her trees and flower containers. She loved life and all it had to offer, overlooking the ocean on a moonlight night from her kitchen window, feeding the birds, decorating for Christmas inside and out, making fruit cakes for family, friends and neighbours. The family would like to extend a special thank you to her nieces Norma Smith and Michelle Fortier and friends Carmelita Landry and Annie Hines, the special nurses at the Strait Richmond Hospital, residents and staff of the Richmond Villa and all her many friends and neighbours. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Edith Lafford; nieces and nephews, Frances Coprez, Beverly MacMillan, Christy Gardiner, Brenda Desorcy, Winnie Wickwire, Norma Smith, Mary Banfill, Michelle Fortier, George, Justin, Keats, Nicholas, Lloyd, Byron and Carl Lafford, Alex Sampson; as well as many great nieces and nephews. Besides her parents, Rita was predeceased by brothers, Fred, Frank and Tom Lafford; sister, Annie (Lafford) Sampson. Visitation will be held Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. in the Dennis Haverstock Funeral Home, 26 Centennial St., St. Peter’s. Funeral Mass will be Friday, November 11, at 2p.m. in St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, with Father Dennis Lamey officiating. Burial to follow in the parish cemetery. Family flowers only please. Memorial donations may be made to Antigonish Right to Life, P.O Box 1161, Antigonish, NS, B2G-2R6, or to St. Peter’s Cemetery Fund, 8997 Grenville St. St. Peter’s, NS, B0E-3B0. Words of comfort may be forwarded to the family at www.haverstocks.com "Kindness is Never Forgotten" Service Information Service Date Friday, November 11, 2011