Rita F. Whitney, 61, of 14391 River Rd., Harrisville, NY, died Saturday, June 27, 2009, at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Syracuse, NY, where she had been a patient since March 25th of this year.

She was born on March 4, 1948, a daughter of Carrie Lou Underwood in Harriman, Tennessee. She graduated from high school in Harriman in 1966, and later attended the University of California, Berkeley.

During the early 1970’s, Mrs. Whitney worked for the United States Internal Revenue Service as a Processing Specialist at the IRS Service Center in Aurora, Illinois, and also a Specialist for the US Department of Energy’s Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois.

She married Harold P. Whitney on March 9, 1973, in Aurora, Illinois, and in 1978, moved with her husband to Harrisville. That same year, she accepted a position as mailroom clerk at the Ft. Drum Post Office where she worked until moving to Camp Zama, Japan, in 1980, where her husband served as the Director of Outdoor Recreation for the US Army base located there and where she worked as a Library Technician at the base’s library. After returning to Harrisville in 1985, Mrs. Whitney resumed her employment at Ft. Drum where she worked as a specialist for the 33rd Military Finance Group until 1987. She had worked as a Library Assistant at the Ft. Drum Post Library from 1987 until the time of her death.

Surviving besides her husband, is her son, Harold P. Whitney, Jr., of Harrisville, a daughter, Heather N. Mahady, of Winthrop, NY; two grandchildren, Briannah F. Mahady and Madison A. Mahady, both of Winthrop, NY; three sisters, Beverly Underwood, of Tucson, Arizona, Claudia Blyaskl, of Aurora, Illinois, and Elaine Underwood, of Gary, Indiana; two brothers, Elmer Underwood, of Jacksonville, Florida, and Barry Clark, of Geneva, Illinois, and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by a son, Christopher, who died shortly after birth.

Rita was a member of the local union for civilian workers at Ft. Drum, and she was of the Roman Catholic faith.

She enjoyed a variety of pastimes including gardening, was an avid reader and especially liked reading Stephen King novels and listening to audio books.

In keeping with Rita’s wishes, a private service will be held at the convenience of the family.

There will be no calling hours or funeral.

As a lover of animals, donations in Rita’s memory may be made to any local SPCA of one’s choice.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Scanlon Funeral Home, Inc., Harrisville.