Salem...

Rita A. (Dougherty) Bohanon, age 85, wife of the late Charles E. Bohanon of Salem, died peacefully at her home early Tuesday morning.

A lifelong resident of Salem and parishioner of St. James Church, she was born in Salem, daughter of the late Frederick and Mary E. (Saulnier) Dougherty. Following her education in St. James Grammar and High School, Mrs. Bohanon became a telephone operator for New England Telephone in Salem for 16 years. She then became an operator and receptionist for Varian in Beverly for over 23 years, before her retirement in 1983.


Rita will be remembered as fun-loving and sociable. She loved to dance and always enjoyed a group sing along to the accompaniment of the piano and her spoons/"bones".


Her beautiful needlework and crafts displayed a gifted and talented person. She has for many years donated the results of these skills to the Christmas Fair at her church (St. James, Salem).


Mrs. Bohanon was an active member of the Disabled American Veteran's (D.A.V.), Auxiliary Post 84 in Salem for many years.


She is survived by a sister Anna Ausiello of Santa Rosa, CA and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by four sisters Katherine Hennesey, Mary Wilson, Louise MacDonald and Agnes Marcantonio and three brothers Joseph Dougherty, William Dougherty and Lawrence Dougherty. In addition, she is survived by her dear friend Delcina "Del" Goolsby of Greenland, NH, who Rita considered to be more like her daughter.

Her funeral will be held on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 10:00 A.M. in St. James Church, 161 Federal St., Salem. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend. At Rita's request, there are no visiting hours. Internment will be in Greenlawn Cemetery, Salem. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the North Shore, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. For online guestbook, visit www.MurphyFuneralHome.com.