Rita was born Rita Joy Valentine on March 14, 1929 in Bedford England to Thomas G. Valentine and Kathleen L. Valentine.

Rita Joy Dugger passed away March 15, 2024 in Red Oak, Texas. She celebrated her 95th birthday the day before. She was preceded in death by parents, 2 brothers and her husband Raymond. She leaves behind a son, Thomas, a daughter, Glenda, 5 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren. Rita's life has been an inspiration to those around her and will be missed.

Rita's father, whose vocation was selling china in a furniture store, passed away when Rita was only 5 years old leaving her mother with three children.

Rita attended Goldington Girls School on Goldington Road in Bedford. She finished school at age 14 which was the age girls finished school in England at that time which was during World War II. Rita began working as an apprentice for 1.5 years at Hamilton's Ladies Fine Dress Wear in Bedford. There she designed and made dresses. This is where Rita's gift as a seamstress began.

During World War II her community was bombed quite a bit. Rita described this as a very frightening time recalling that there were incendiary bombs in her back yard. She recalled a story where lights were strung up and down the river making German bomber pilots believe that this was an air strip instead of the town.
One of the best blessings that came to Rita during the war was meeting Raymond Dugger, who was an MP at an airfield 6 miles away. He spotted her inside the window of the dress shop and the rest is history. When he returned home to Texas after the war he sent for Rita to come and marry him in 1947. Rita made her wedding dress with material she could purchase with wartime ration coupons.

Rita and Raymond were married on April 7, 1947 at Birome Church in Birome, Texas. The wedding was officiated by a Methodist preacher and a Baptist preacher took pictures.

Rita and Raymond began their life together on a farm near Penelope, Texas. After their first child, Thomas, was born she was diagnosed to have cancer and underwent multiple cancer surgeries. At that time she was told she would never be able to have any more children. As Rita put it "God must have wanted me to have a daughter" as she gave birth to Glenda.

Her journey through the cancer treatments lasted from 1950 to 1961. By the grace of God she became cancer free in 1965.

Rita became an American citizen in 1955 in Waco, Texas.

Raymond and Rita survived the ups and downs of farming and eventually left the farm in 1961and moved to Hubbard. Then there were moves to Wilmer, Hutchins and finally to Hawkins. In Hawkins they helped establish Holly Tree Chapel. At the beginning this congregation met on benches under a huge holly tree.
Rita and Raymond were married for 54 years when he passed away. They had many ups and downs in their marriage but both believed strongly that they had said vows in front of God. When asked what their secret to a happy long marriage was, Rita stated, "Being practicing Christians".

Rita moved to Red Oak shortly after Raymond's passing to be closer to family. She became a member of Red Oak Methodist Church.

This is what described Rita's life. A prayerful life of faith in Jesus Christ. This faith carried her through her life's journey and continues through the blessings she gave her family.

Family will received friends from 5:00pm to 7:00pm on Monday, March 25, 2024 at Byrum Funeral Home. A celebration of Rita's life will be at graveside at 1:00pm on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at Holly Tree Cemetery, Holly Lake Ranch, TX.

Memorials may be made in Rita's name to First United Methodist Church of Red Oak or to Elysian Hospice, 16750 Westgrove Drive #100, Addison, TX 75001