Dexter and Dover-Foxcroft - With great sadness, the family of Rita D. Waterhouse shares that she passed away, peacefully, the evening of June 20, 2023, after a long period of declining health. We take great comfort in the knowledge that she is now reunited with her husband, Jerry, whose loss left her broken hearted. Rita was born February 2, 1936, in Sangerville, Maine, the daughter of Irene (Dulac) Carleton and Charles Carleton. She spent her childhood years living with both her parents in Sangerville and with her beloved grandparents, George and Louise Dulac at their sporting camps on Spencer Pond. She attended schools in Sangerville and Guilford and shortly after graduating from Piscataquis Community High School, married PFC Gerald Waterhouse in Milo, Maine. They remained married for 68 years, raising their family in Guilford. In her early adulthood, Rita worked at a number of different jobs in local stores, eventually making her way to Guilford industries, where she began work in the warping department as a creel tender. After a short time, she applies for an entry level office position in the cost accounting department, taking on more responsibility and eventually working her way to become Manager of Cost Accounting for all of Guilford of Maine’s manufacturing facilities in Maine, Massachusetts and North Carolina. After retiring from accounting in 1998, Rita found a new passion for working with children as a one-on-one aide in the Headstart Program. She found this work to be challenging and extremely rewarding. She and Jerry also began a small home-based wood crafting business together. He built benches, chests, quilt racks, and may other beautiful items. Rita was a gifted artist and added beautiful designs and painting to Jerry’s creations. These items and many of Rita’s sketches now grace the homes of her children and grandchildren. She also enjoyed fishing, whitetail hunting, boating with Jerry, working in her flower gardens, exploring the Maine coast, time at camp on Sebec Lake with her family, steering her beautiful custom built canoe over the surface of a flat pond at sunrise, and was a merciless cribbage player. Rita is survived by her two daughters, Shelly Erickson and her husband, Galen, of Bowerbank, and Jill Baker and her husband, Robin, of Eastbourne, Sussex, UK. She leaves a brother, Barry Carleton of Sangerville; special sisters-in-law, Carole Mannisto of North Carolina, Margie Carleton of Milo; a brother-in-law, Duane Waterhouse Sr. and his wife, Dottie, of Milo; eleven grandchildren, Tyler Erickson and his wife, Lauren, Ashlie McLeish and her husband, David, Liza Smith and her husband, Ryan, Tara Russell and her husband, Seth, Evaughn Holyoke, Travis Erickson and husband, Shawn, Zachary Grant, Heather Baker and her husband, Kevin, Lucas Grant, Jasmine Baker and Chris Cooper, Violet Forster and fiance, Patrick Forster; twenty-three great grandchildren, Mason and Emily McLeish, Jackson and Landon Smith, Austin and Eli Erickson, Ayda and Samuel Holyoke, Kayla, Mya, Colby and Bella Russell, Zander and Shelby Grant, Penelope and Echo Grant, Jonah, Rowan, Ella and Evie Baker, Honey Baker, Daniel Manson, and Amethyst Evans. Rita is also survived by her best friend of seventy plus years, Doris “Dottie” Dean of South Carolina. Friends since they were young girls., Dottie never stopped regularly sending handwritten notes to our Mom just to tell her she loved her – long past the time when Mom could read them. Rita was predeceased by her husband of 68 years and the love of her life, Gerald Waterhouse; their son, Scott Wade Waterhouse; sisters, Sherrill (Carleton) O’Connor, Janice (Carleton) Carle, and great-grandson, Matthew Manson. The family wishes to extend its’ heartfelt thanks to the staff at Pleasant Meadows in Dover-Foxcroft for the loving and compassionate care Rita received throughout her time there. A graveside service will be held for all who wish to come at 1:00 pm Wednesday, July 12, 2023, at the family lot in Sangerville Village Cemetery. Arrangements are in the care of the Lary Funeral Home. Condolences and memories may be expressed at www.laryfuneralhome.com.