Rita Maria McKINNON

With great sadness we announce the passing of Rita McKinnon.  Rita was born on January 18, 1945 in Malden Netherlands.

In the early spring of 1945, Rita met her first Canadians, they were  Canadian soldiers who were clearing the area of German soldiers where Rita’s family’s farm was located. The family was so impressed with their kindness that they chose to emigrate to Canada after the war.  As luck would have it, a number of years later two of the soldiers whom they had met in Holland came to their farm in Metcalf Ontario, where  they were working on the installation of the Trans Canada Pipeline which crossed their farm.  After completing High School, Rita worked at Central Mortgage and Housing as a statistical clerk.  After a few years Rita studied computer programming at IBM Ottawa and Eastern Ontario Institute of Technology, where she attained a Diploma in Computer Programming.

Rita returned to CMHC as a programmer analyst and worked there until her and husband Ken moved to Vancouver in 1972. She then worked in the same field at H.A. Simons Consultants  until moving to Port Alberni in 1974.  Ken was a partner in McKinnon's Dairy ,and Rita took care of the family, raising three children and becoming a soccer mom, dance mom, hockey mom and football mom among other athletic and musical pursuits of her children.  Whatever her children were, a part of Rita was right there supporting them.

Port Alberni was Ken’s hometown, and Rita recognized the need to make her own friends here, so she joined the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority. In Sorority Rita met many wonderful women who became lifelong friends.  During Rita’s final months, her sorority sisters rallied around her, bringing food, stories and friendship to her bedside.         

Rita was also an active member of the Port Alberni Salmon  Festival Society, serving as treasurer for almost thirty years. Rita also had a long career at Jowsey’s Furniture, retiring late last year.

Rita was known for her generosity, loving caring nature, her kindness and her bright smile that lit up every room she was in. She will be so very missed by her friends and family. A great spark has left their lives.

Rita was predeceased by her parents, two sisters, and two brothers in law. She is survived by her loving husband of 52 years, Ken; children, Amanda (Simon) Steve (Lyndy) and Pam; beloved grandchildren Van, Drew and McKenzie; brothers, Hank (Rita), and Casey (Gaetane), sisters Tina (Louis), Mientje and Thea; and her extended family, Raeburn and Rollie Hurst, Laurie Hurst and Rob Ackerman, Gord and Lorraine McKinnon, and Margaret McKinnon and Mike Maclean. She is also survived by numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Due to Covid restrictions there has been a private funeral.