Rita was born Margaret Mary Ward. She immigrated with her widowed mother and two older siblings on the S. S. Numidian, Sept 1905. Her mother, Catherine Lees, married Arthur Jackson who was waiting for her arrival in Butte, Montana, including her three children. Rita or Rhetta was also known as Rita Jackson as Arthur was the only father she ever knew as her biological father, Thomas Patrick Ward, had died a few months before her birth in 1895. Life was very difficult those early years in Butte, Montana. It was common for women to die in childbirth, and infant mortality was high. When the Spanish Influenza became a pandemic, it wiped out 50-100 million people worldwide and Butte certainly felt the loss. This was because the Irish and Scottish continued socializing in their local pubs to "catch-up", and share their stories. During the pandemic health officials would customarily close all public businesses, churches, schools and other meeting places, but Butte ignored the rule and it was not enforced, thereby helping to spread the flu back to the homes.
Rita married Fred Atkinson and they had three boys but sadly each of the boys died. One birth resulted in twins! (Once again, twins comes up in the family.)
Mortuary Notice:
Anaconda Standard
April 10, 1917
Undertakers
Atkinson:
The funeral of the late Mrs. Rita Atkinson, aged 22 years, will take place tomorrow, Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock at the family residence: 923 Talbot Avenue proceeding to the Sacred Heart Church, where mass will be celebrated at 9:30. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Rita married Fred Atkinson and they had three boys but sadly each of the boys died. One birth resulted in twins! (Once again, twins comes up in the family.)
Mortuary Notice:
Anaconda Standard
April 10, 1917
Undertakers
Atkinson:
The funeral of the late Mrs. Rita Atkinson, aged 22 years, will take place tomorrow, Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock at the family residence: 923 Talbot Avenue proceeding to the Sacred Heart Church, where mass will be celebrated at 9:30. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Rita was born Margaret Mary Ward. She immigrated with her widowed mother and two older siblings on the S. S. Numidian, Sept 1905. Her mother, Catherine Lees, married Arthur Jackson who was waiting for her arrival in Butte, Montana, including her three children. Rita or Rhetta was also known as Rita Jackson as Arthur was the only father she ever knew as her biological father, Thomas Patrick Ward, had died a few months before her birth in 1895. Life was very difficult those early years in Butte, Montana. It was common for women to die in childbirth, and infant mortality was high. When the Spanish Influenza became a pandemic, it wiped out 50-100 million people worldwide and Butte certainly felt the loss. This was because the Irish and Scottish continued socializing in their local pubs to "catch-up", and share their stories. During the pandemic health officials would customarily close all public businesses, churches, schools and other meeting places, but Butte ignored the rule and it was not enforced, thereby helping to spread the flu back to the homes.
Rita married Fred Atkinson and they had three boys but sadly each of the boys died. One birth resulted in twins! (Once again, twins comes up in the family.)
Mortuary Notice:
Anaconda Standard
April 10, 1917
Undertakers
Atkinson:
The funeral of the late Mrs. Rita Atkinson, aged 22 years, will take place tomorrow, Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock at the family residence: 923 Talbot Avenue proceeding to the Sacred Heart Church, where mass will be celebrated at 9:30. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.
Rita married Fred Atkinson and they had three boys but sadly each of the boys died. One birth resulted in twins! (Once again, twins comes up in the family.)
Mortuary Notice:
Anaconda Standard
April 10, 1917
Undertakers
Atkinson:
The funeral of the late Mrs. Rita Atkinson, aged 22 years, will take place tomorrow, Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock at the family residence: 923 Talbot Avenue proceeding to the Sacred Heart Church, where mass will be celebrated at 9:30. Interment will be at Holy Cross Cemetery.
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