Obituary

 

Miss Rita Anderson L.R.A.M

It is with great sadness I have to report the passing of Rita Anderson of the Carnagh affix on Thursday 15th January at the age of 97 years, she would have celebrated her 98th birthday in June.

Rita was born in 1911 in the Broadheath area of Stockport, her family then moved to Stamford Road in Altrincham for a short while then on to her home at Carnagh in Altrincham, Cheshire when  Rita was just eight years old, the home she was to love dearly and live in for nearly 90 years.   

She had a very interesting life, having been educated in London at The Royal Academy of Music where she obtained her degree.   She was a most accomplished pianist.   She was also a very athletic person and loved most forms of sport.   Tennis was her real love and she competed in many Tournaments along with her beloved sister Norma in the summer months, enjoying many successes, then in the winter months she would turn to the ice rink, skating proficiently to Championship level in the Manchester area.

Latterly her skilled continued on to the golf course where she had a handicap that many men would have wished for, holding the post of Lady Captain at The Hale Golf Club for some time.  

In 1942 Rita very tragically lost her fiancé Pat with lung cancer.   Rita’s garden was her pride and joy and in World War 2 she turned her garden into a large vegetable plot, saving the precious petrol by not having to mow the lawn.   Rita also did her bit in the war effort by driving ambulances in the Altrincham area.   Her sporting activities came to an end when after the war Rita parents health started to fail and she became a full time carer to both her parents during this time.  It was after their death that Rita became interested in the Dobermann breed.

She owned her first Dobermann in 1956 and started her showing career in 1957.   She had since shown and bred five generations of Dobermanns.   She had served in the early years on the committee of the Dobermann Club, then the Midland Branch of that Club and became founder member of The Midland and Trans-Pennine branch of the North of England Club (holding both the post of Secretary and Cup Steward) which of course evolved into the present North of England Dobermann Club, where Rita also served as the Chairman, then becoming President, and finally an Honorary Life Member.

She started judging Open Shows in 1964 and moved up to Championship level in 1971.   She was delighted to have judged her beloved breed at Crufts in the 1980s.   Sadly due to her own failing health, her last Dobermann bitch was to be Ch Ectasy of Tramerfield (Sheena).

Rita was a staunch supporter and Patron of Dobermann Rescue for many years.

I was very proud to have had her as a very dear friend for nearly 40 years.   She will be very sadly missed by Dave and myself and all her friends in the Dobermann world.

Ann Winterbourn.