A MUCH-LOVED familiar member of Saddleworth church communities, choirs and amateur dramatics groups has died at her home.
Rita Deighton passed away suddenly in Springhead on Monday, August 14 at the age of 69.
Born in Grasscroft in 1954, she was heavily involved in the Lydgate church community, having been a May Queen when at Sunday School then becoming a Sunday school teacher for many years before joining the church choir.
She was also a prominent member of Lydgate Music and Drama Society.
After marrying David, she moved to Lees where she joined the choir of St Thomas’s and was also an active member of the flower rota for church.

She also assisted to run the local Beaver Scout group at Leesfield for many years.
Rita was well known in the local community for her singing roles in local amateur dramatic societies, which included Lydgate Music and Drama, Saddleworth Musical Society, Hope Entertainment and Oldham Mets (St Pats) among others.
She played leading roles in all these societies for many years.
For a profession, Rita was a trained nursery nurse spending 19 years in social services nurseries in the Rochdale area before leaving to set up her own child-minding business, which she was still doing until 2020.
She leaves her husband David, son Paul, daughter-in-law Laura and grandson Xander. Her family said: “She will be sadly missed by everyone.”
Rita’s funeral will take place at St Anne’s Church Lydgate on Thursday, September 21 at 11am.
It will be family flowers only with donations in lieu if desired to the NSPCC c/o Pogson and Armitage Ltd at 53, Huddersfield Rd, Diggle, Oldham, OL3 5NT.
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