Rita W. Barada, longtime resident of New Canaan and Nantucket, died peacefully November 5, 2016 in Stamford with her loving family by her side. Born in Dorchester, Massachusetts on May 18, 1923, she was the daughter of Henry J. and Agnes Lally White who immigrated to Boston from County Galway, Ireland. She was predeceased by her two brothers, Henry and James, a sister, Mary and her beloved husband of 52 years, Andy. Following graduation from Catholic University’s Nursing Program, Rita enlisted in the U.S. Air Force as a Flight Nurse where she attained the rank of Captain. While nursing wounded soldiers returning from the Korean War, Rita met her future husband Andy who was an Air Force Medevac pilot. After their discharge from the Air Force, Rita and Andy were married and resided in Kansas City, Missouri where six of their eight children were born. Two additional children were born after their arrival to New Canaan in 1963. A dedicated homemaker, Rita was a devoted parishioner of St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church, a longtime member of the New Canaan Sewing Group and an avid traveler having visited all 50 states. Given her nursing training, Rita was an original, life-long participant in the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study that has played an instrumental role in shaping public health recommendations and formulating biomarker research. Rita is survived by her children Mary Catherine (Steve) Pond of Norwalk; John S. (Sandi) Barada, of New Canaan; Andrew H. (Joan) Barada of Portola Valley, CA; James H. (Melissa) Barada of Delmar, NY; Peter W. (Anne) Barada of Marblehead, MA; Lucy (Dana) Cronan, of Hamilton, MA; Anne (Sean) Daly of Barrington, RI, and Thomas P. (Terry) Barada of Nantucket, MA, and sixteen grandchildren who affectionately referred to her as “Lovey”. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, November 10, 2016 at 11:00 AM at St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church, Cherry Street, New Canaan. Interment to follow in Lakeview Cemetery, New Canaan. The family will receive friends at the Hoyt Funeral Home, 199 Main Street, New Canaan on Wednesday evening from 4 to 8 PM. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, 30 Jeffreys Neck Road, Ipswich, MA 01938.