Rita Mae Dougherty was born the daughter of Herman E. Mills and Pauline Cantrell Mills on October 5, 1948 at Thayer, Missouri and departed this life October 1, 2011 at Brooke Haven Health Care in West Plains, Missouri at the age of 62 years.
She was united in marriage to Dana Dougherty, who preceded her in death.
She is survived by four sisters, Hazel Estep of Rogers, Arkansas, Helen Ramsey of West Plains, Missouri, Janice Bentley of Springfield, Missouri and June Wyatt of West Plains, Missouri; several nieces and nephews, great nieces, great nephews, many friends, cousins, one special aunt, Joyce Mills and a very special brother-in-law, Jim Ramsey, who showed so many acts of kindness to Rita.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Herman and Pauline Mills; one sister, Georgia Reef and her husband, Bobby; one brother-in-law, Phil Estep and several aunts and uncles.
Rita was employed as bookkeeper for West Star Gas Company in Wichita, Kansas for 22 years before returning to West Plains, where she was employed as clerk in the jewelery department at J.C. Penny until her retirement.
Rita was a kind, loving and gentle person and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Funeral services will be Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 2:00 PM in the Carter Funeral Home Chapel at Thayer with Brother David Honeycutt officiating. The family will receive friends Monday from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the funeral home. Burial will be in the Thayer Cemetery with services under the direction of Carter Funeral Home, Inc. in Thayer.