A Memorial Service for Mrs. Rita Tumaroff Blumenthal, a longtime resident of Monroe, LA, will be held on Sunday, December 12, 2021, at 3:00 PM on Zoom, a live video/telephone event to listen and view the service. Please contact Temple B’Nai Israel at 318-387-0730 or by email at 1868temple@gmail.com to receive the Zoom link. Rabbi Judy Ginsburgh will be officiating the service.
Rita passed away on December 3, 2021, at LeGrand Nursing Health Care & Rehabilitation Center in Bastrop, LA after a long struggle with Vascular Dementia at the age of 88. She was born in Jamaica Queens, NY on July 4, 1933. Rita was the only child of Sally and Abraham Tumaroff. She attended Forest Hills High School, where she graduated a year early with honors. Rita spent one year at Queens College, before accepting the betrothal of her parents to Morris Blumenthal of Monroe.
She and Morris fell deeply in love and married in 1951. They were married for 61 years and raised a family, while running Field’s ladies apparel stores. Rita was an integral part of the business. She was a devoted community member; particularly committed to supporting the synagogue, Temple B’Nai Israel.
People will remember Rita as being a kind and generous individual, intelligent with an independent and strong-willed nature. Rita was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She particularly cherished time spent with her three grandchildren, who grew up in Eugene, Oregon. After the loss of their 25-year-old son, Alan, to mental illness; Rita and Morris founded the Alan Blumenthal Foundation for Mental Health, created to help fund research.
Things of particular importance to Rita included family and friendship, home and garden, Field’s and employees, and nutritional cooking for good health.
Rita is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Vicki and Mike Weisman of Eugene, OR; her grandchildren, Lee Kahn, a physician in Atlanta, GA, Adrienne Fettig of Portland, OR, and Margo Kahn of St. Louis, MO. Both granddaughters are currently attending medical school.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to either Temple B’Nai Israel; http://www.bayoujews.org/ , The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): https://nami.org/Home , or Parkinson’s Foundation: https://www.parkinson.org/.
Rita’s family would like to express their gratitude to Kathy Ward, Shelby Dunn, and the staff at LeGrand Nursing Health Care & Rehabilitation Center for their compassion and care.
Online registry/condolences: www.mulhearnfuneralhome.com
Mulhearn Funeral Home
Monroe, Louisiana