Mary Laurita “Rita” Cole-Murphy, 75, of Leonardtown, MD, passed away peacefully on February 15, 2024. Rita was born on October 7, 1948, and was the daughter of the late Albert Joseph Gray, Sr. and Ida Elizabeth “Bessie” (Hill) Gray of Chaptico, MD.
Rita graduated from Chopticon High School in 1966. She worked at Towne Florist for 25 years and then took a position with the United States Postal Service in Mechanicsville in 1992. She retired in 2015. Rita enjoyed spending her free time attending Street Rod Car Shows, going to yard sales, visiting casinos (win or lose, she always had a good time), and being with her family and friends. Rita was very talented at sewing, painting, and making floral arrangements. She was loved by everyone she met.
Rita is survived by her husband, John Louis Murphy, son Chris Cole (Pam), and her grandson, Casey, her siblings, Pat Gray (Betty Ann), Judy Frank (Charlie), Michael Gray (Debbie), Elaine Joy (John), Glenda Mast (Wayne), and Maureen Abell (Timmy), as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Rita is predeceased by her parents, her first husband, Bill Cole (9/19/2014), her sisters Ida Dishinger (1/12/2022), Barbara Ferguson (8/1/2022), Marian Murdock (10/5/2022), and her brothers-in-law, Bill Dishinger, Dave Ferguson, Gail Murdock, and David Anderson.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, February 28th from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM with prayers recited at 7:00 PM in the Mattingly-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, MD, where a prayer service will be held on Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow at Queen of Peace Cemetery, Helen, MD. Serving as pallbearers will be Casey Cole, Michael Gray, John Joy, Wayne Mast, Charlie Frank, and Jeffrey Gray. Honorary pallbearers will be Pat Gray and Timmy Abell.
Memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of St. Mary’s, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, MD 20650.
Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home and Cremation Services, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.