Mrs. Rita Dolores (Pickeral) Washington, 68 of Waldorf, Maryland.

OBITUARY

Rita Dolores Washington , was called to eternal rest on Saturday, July 17, 2021 at the age of 68. She was born to the late John and Agnes Pickeral on April 19, 1953.

She was united in marriage to Private First Class, Arthur J. Washington a U.S. Marine, on December 18, 1971. They were previously blessed with one daughter, Renita.  Rita was a military spouse for 23 years.

Rita took the responsibility of caring for their young daughter Renita. Attending PTA meetings and going on school trips and being there for her husband as he performed his military obligations.

Although such a responsibility was stressful at times and many long stretches of loneliness, she turned that into a positive time by joining other military spouses clubs and found creative ways to pass the time when her husband was on deployment.

Rita was a very private person, but loved to have fun with family and friends. She spent time with family when her husband ended those six month deployments. They took two weeks leave to travel back to her home town of Waldorf, Maryland. Rita's mother Agnes would call all of Rita's relatives to her home, and the party was on. BBQ, horseshoe pitching, great food, lots of love and music. Rita loved to dance. Oh boy could she dance!

After her time as a military wife was completed they moved to Waldorf and bought a home. Rita enjoyed time with her husband Arthur, a musician, going to entertainment clubs, Proctors Inn, Lamonts and Green Acres. She enjoyed dancing, hanging out and having fun times with family and friends. Arthur played guitar in the southern soul bands, Corvettes, Dugee and the Fours, Butch Dyson and the Platinum Band and various other local musicians, Paul Wills, Jim Bennet, Earl Bond and Somone Lovett.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Agnes Pickeral Sr., brother, John E. Pickeral, Jr., and Goddaughter, Erica Pickeral. She leaves to cherish her memory – her loving husband, Arthur J.  Washington; daughter, Renita Richardson; son-in-law, Haywood Richardson; granddaughter, Courtney Richardson and grandson, Corey Richardson; sisters, Evelyn Pickeral (Billie), Thelma Butler (James), Doris Pickeral, Valerie Neal (Thomas), and Sylvia Wills and son, David Pickeral (Valeria); sisters-in-law, Margaret Mansfield, Marine Richardson (Bobby) and a host of relatives and friends.

Viewing, 10:00 a.m. until time of Service, 11:00 a.m., Thursday, July 22, 2021 in the Chapel of Thornton Funeral Home, P.A., 3439 Livingston Road, Indian Head, Maryland 20640.

On Thursday, July 22, 2021 at 11:00 a.m., please click on the link below to live stream the service.

Please make sure when viewing the services that the volume located in the right lower corner (where it says "live") on the viewing screen is turned up (the bars should be blue).

The streaming will begin after the final family viewing.  Therefore, there may be a delay before the service appears on the screen. Thank you.

https://www.thorntonfuneralhomepa.com/live-stream