Rita Riley Littlefield

Rita Dorothy Riley (along with her twin brother Raymond) was born on June 23, 1924, at The Sisters’ Farm in Gabriels, New York. Her parents were Dennis E. Riley and Elizabeth Keegan Riley. The family later moved down the road to Split Rock Farm, then moved to Saranac Lake after the farm was destroyed by fire. Rita graduated from Saranac Lake High School on her 18th birthday.

Rita filled the Riley home with music as an accomplished pianist on a 1916 ivory-keyed upright piano. Rita had sheet music by the tons but would listen to new songs and music on the radio; after a few starts and stops, she would play the entire piece she had just heard. She was asked to play for many events, including community square dances. There were jam sessions in the family living room when friends would stop by to join Rita and her siblings for some ragtime or jazz. She often continued playing for them, even after the bedtime lights were turned off by her parents.

Following high school, Rita attended Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in Watertown where she received her training to become a laboratory technician. She returned home and began working at the Sunmount Veterans Administration Hospital in Tupper Lake. She was involved in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis (TB), which was the hospital’s primary mission. Rita and her colleagues conducted lab work to support patient care and research at the nearby, more prominent Saranac Laboratory. This was during WWII, so with strict gas rationing, Rita and four other Sunmount employees from Saranac Lake would carpool.

Little did Rita know that her future husband and the love of her life, John Arthur Littlefield, a surgical technician with the 12th Armored Division, was in Europe fighting the biggest battle of WWII — the Battle of the Bulge. He survived combat, receiving the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He returned to Tupper Lake, went to work at Sunmount, and met Rita.

On July 12, 1952, Rita and John were married at St. Bernard’s Church in Saranac Lake.

They raised four children together: Kevin, Peter, Tim and Lisa. In 1956, John founded Littlefield Insurance while Rita supported and cared for the family. Rita was known for her homemade donuts and lots of other baked goods. She enjoyed cross-country skiing and golfing in the women’s twilight league with her best friend and golf partner, Rose Rosky.

After John’s passing in 1990, Rita spent her time as “Nana” to her eight grandchildren. She continued to live in the family home, a popular happy hour destination for anyone who knew her. She was an original member of the Raquette River Drive neighborhood and maintained her neighborly repertoire through every paint job, lawn mowing debacle and generations of new families on the road.

Rita passed away Saturday morning peacefully at her home on Raquette River Drive with her family at her side. For the past 10 years, she was grateful to have her daughter Lisa Littlefield Gillis of Tupper Lake supporting her with the help of a fabulous team of caregivers. Rita is survived by two of her siblings, Howard Riley (Ruth) of Saranac Lake and Theresa Gates (Fred) of Saratoga Springs, along with her four children and their families: Kevin and Patricia Littlefield, Peter Littlefield and Elaine Yabroudy, Timothy and Rosemary Littlefield, and Lisa and Robert Gillis. Rita is also survived by her eight grandchildren, Owen (Elizabeth), Hannah (Peter), Ryan, Shannon (Timothy), Max (Hannah), Eli, Riley and Libby, as well as six great-grandchildren, Eloise, Genevieve, Meadow, Rollie, Tucker and Baker. She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, her twin brother Raymond Riley (who lived to age 95) and his wife Patricia, her brother Charles Riley and his wife June, and her sister Marguerite. Following Rita’s wishes, a private burial service will take place at St. Alphonsus Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest with her husband. You may recognize Rita’s name as she was an avid Facebook user. Even at 101, she wielded her iPad like a pro! Her legacy lives on in the hearts she touched — and in the trail of shamrock emojis she left across the internet.

Condolences may be made online at www.fraryfuneralhome.com.