Rita Helen (Lamarche) Brown, 69, of Colchester, passed away on Monday October 30, 2017 at her home in Colchester. She was born on June 2, 1948 daughter of the late Laurier and Flora (Robillard) Lamarche. Rita graduated from Orleans High School Class of 1966. She then moved to Burlington to work at the Howard Bank where she met her future husband Gary Herman Brown. She then began work at the Fanny Allen Hospital. Upon losing her husband to leukemia on November 28th 1980, she found employment at Essex High School in 1981, so that she could enjoy summers and school vacations with her daughter. She loved her job at EHS and was there for 36 years. In fact, she was hoping to retire this past June. Rita was diagnosed in March with a rare form of cancer and courageously fought through for seven months. Most recently, she suffered several strokes and passed away peacefully while at home under hospice care. She was surrounded by her very loving and devoted family who will miss her tremendously. Rita enjoyed celebrating each and every milestone with her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren. She loved to attend each and every school and church event to include; concerts, dance recitals, soccer, baseball and basketball games as well as anything in between. In her spare time, her passions also included shopping, traveling, craft shows, movies and dinners with friends and family reunions where she played a mean game of Domino’s and a card game called Cuckoo. Rita loved to support all those in need by ways of sending cards, making food, and supporting everyone whose lives she touched.

Rita is survived by her daughter Wendy Colgrove and her husband Mark, three brothers Ronald Lamarche and wife Yvette, Maurice Lamarche and wife Betty, Raymond Lamarche and wife Janine, her sister Lorraine Webster and husband Eugene, her Aunt Janine Robillard, three grandchildren, Corinne, Nathan and Thomas Colgrove, many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visiting hours will be held on Friday November 10, 2017 from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at A W Rich Funeral Home – Essex Chapel, 57 Main Street, Essex Jct., VT. Funeral services will be held at Essex Alliance Church, 37 Old Stage Road, Essex Jct., VT on Saturday November 11, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. with Pastor Jim Wilkens officiating. Burial will follow starting at 2:00 p.m. in the family lot in Irasburg Cemetery, Irasburg, VT. Memorial contributions in Rita’s memory are being setup at this time, with the name and address to be announced shortly. The family invites you to share your memories and condolences by visiting www.awrfh.com.