Rita Claire Torry

Rita Claire deGannes Torry, age 102, passed away peacefully on April 24, 2023, just short by three months of celebrating her 103rd birthday. She was a great woman, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and friend to many. She was born on August 12, 1920, on the island of Trinidad to Raphael and Daisy deGannes. Rita Claire was married to Malcolm Robert Torry, deceased, and they had seven children. She was the cherished mother of Robert, deceased, (Liz); Stephen (Dawn); Suzanne Littlepage (Rodney, deceased); Kevan (Virginia); Margaret Barcant; Jonathan (Susan); Lorraine Callais (Robert). Rita Claire especially loved her role as Grandma to her twenty grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. She was the oldest in her family and the only girl with five brothers, all predeceased. Rita Claire grew up in Trinidad, and in the late 1940's moved to San Tome, Venezuela, with her three children where her husband Malcolm had taken up a job in the aviation department of the Gulf Oil subsid MGO (Mene Grande Oil). For the next 16 years the family enjoyed a wonderful life with four more children joining the family. So many great memories were made in that small camp out in the middle of nowhere, friendships that have continued throughout the years. In 1966 the family moved to Ft. Lauderdale, FL. This also was a memorable time with many friends and friends of friends camping out in her house. Rita loved people and so enjoyed having as many around as possible. She could make a delicious meal out of leftovers that could be stretched to feed however many. In 1992 Rita and Malcolm made another move. This time to Broussard, LA. Once again the house was open to all, to anyone needing a place to stay or just stopping by to say hello. Rita Claire was a jack of all trades as she put her heart into so many interests. It's hard to put your finger on any one passion of hers as she had a passion for so many things. Her love of plants being at the top of the list made her a 'botanical jewel'. On moving to Broussard her first job was to search out the local plant clubs to join. Finding one in St. Martinville, Rita found her two very good friends with the same interests, Jessie Bienvenu and 'Miss' Lorraine Newberry. She also joined the Lafayette Garden Club, made friends and formed the African Violet Society. Her love of plants made her into a quiet 'snitch' as she would quietly snitch a piece of a plant from anywhere that she saw something she didn't have in her garden. This plant would eventually grow into a beautiful thing. She was absolutely a lifelong gardener, a lover of all things that nature would present before her. Another passion was her love of learning which took her to the library on a regular basis. The librarians got to know her so well that they would put aside new arrivals for her. Up to age 97 she would still travel to the St. Martin's library. One of the last books that she checked out was a book on the brain. She never stopped learning! She would engage in conversation with anyone about any subject. She enjoyed giving stories of the history of Trinidad and of the family, of her childhood. Rita also had a great appreciation for art and music, and would love attending performances of any kind, taking great delight in her great-grandchildren's performances. Another was her love for traveling or just going, anywhere was an adventure for her. Rita Claire was a lover of life and all things beautiful, but the most cherished were her family! She will be so dearly missed, but the memories of her will live on forever. Her family would like to thank all those at Garden View Assisted Living who took such good loving care of her Rite of Christian Burial Mass will be held on Saturday, August 5, 2023, at 11:00 a.m., at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 200 Main St., Broussard, LA.