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RITA MAUREEN DOERR
Born: Oct 03, 1955
Date of Passing: Jan 16, 2026
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryRITA MAUREEN DOERR
It is with a loving heart and deep sadness that we announce after a long struggle with the pulmonary complications of her scleroderma Rita died, surrounded by her family singing some of her favourite songs.
She has gone to join her parents, Pat and Elizabeth; her older sisters, Shelagh and Mary-Lou; her father and mother-in-law, Ron and Annette, who had 3 boys and said a huge prayer of thanks when she joined their family.
Known and loved as Gramma, mother, sister, friend and wife she touched all who knew her with her generous and loving spirit.
Rita was always a singer. She sang as she rode her bicycle as a 5 year old in a voice she believed no one could hear. She sang in school with her girlfriends, and in church as a founding member of the 9 PM mass at St. Ignatius, and as the Goddess of Love in the St. Mary's Academy Glee Club presentation of Orpheus and Euridice. She also sang in musical productions at Kelvin High School, and at countless weddings and funerals. She sang at home and at the lake with family and friends. Even after scleroderma took her singing voice, she could still supply a harmony line with her remaining 5 or 6 note range.
She raised 5 children, improved and taught the boy she met in high school, smoothing his rough edges and softening his heart with her love.
Family and friends were everything to Rita. Her children Melanie (Olford), Taylor, Tim, Emily and Austin each saw a piece of that love. Many of their friends also saw Rita as chosen family. Her nine grandchildren Willow, Prairie, Temple, Olive, Sage, Alex, Ivy, Kathryn and Avery each received a piece of that love and as her hair greyed and her arms hugged, her love became ever deeper and stronger.
Despite her health declining, she continued to deepen in wisdom. She lived with the most joy and love each day offered. She showed her family and all who knew her a love without condition or judgement.
Rita lived with gratitude and wanted all her caregivers to know how much she valued their expertise and support. Her family physician Dr. Candace Bradshaw, Dr. Kevin Brown at Cancer Care, Dr David Robinson at the Rheumatology Clinic, Dr Zoheir Bshouty at the pulmonary hypertension clinic, Dr Mark Barker ENT, the Palliative Care program and the many doctors and nurses who cared for her in the Grace ICU in the fall of 2023.
Rita insisted we have a back yard music concert after discharge from that ICU admission which she called her RINDY (Rita is Not Dead Yet). This was a magical evening of family, friends and neighbours singing and dancing, exactly what she wanted. We were blessed with 2 more RINDY celebration concerts in the subsequent years, thanks to the grace of God and modern medicine.
May the heavenly chorus welcome their new singer who once again has the voice of that young girl, who sang with the freedom of someone who believed no one was listening. You can rest now in the loving arms of a smiling God.
Rita's celebration of life will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at St. Ignatius Church, 255 Stafford Street, followed by a gathering in the church hall afterwards.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 24, 2026