Rita F. Whitney

HARRISVILLE — Rita F. Whitney, 61, of 14391 River Rd., Harrisville, NY, died June 27, 2009, at St. Joseph's Hospital in Syracuse.

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 Internal Revenue Service as a Processing Specialist at the IRS Service Center in Aurora, Illinois, and also 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. Since then, she has worked as a Ft. Drum mailroom clerk, as a specialist for the 33rd Military Finance Group at Ft. Drum and as a Library Assistant at the Ft. Drum Post Library, a position she held 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 and she was an avid reader.

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 or animal shelter of one's choice.

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

To express condolences, send a message of sympathy or view Rita's complete obituary, please visit www.scanlonfuneral.com.