Rita Donalda (Desmarais) Nichols

AUGUSTA – Rita Donalda (Desmarais) Nichols, 90, loving and devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, died on Nov. 16, 2021 at Granite Hill Estates after a long illness, with her family by her side.

Born in Concord, N.H. on April 22, 1931 to Oscar Edmund and Dianna Antonia (LeBrun) Desmarais, Rita attended Sacred Heart School in Concord, St. Regis Academy in Berlin, and graduated from Concord High School in 1948.In 1952, Rita met her husband of 34 years, U.S. Marine and Korean War veteran Donald Edward Nichols of Eliot, while vacationing at Hampton Beach, NH. The couple married in Concord on Jan. 31, 1953. Don joined the Maine State Police in 1955 and their growing family lived in Kittery, South China, Eliot, and Augusta. As a trooper’s wife, Rita assisted Don throughout his career as he eventually became chief of the Maine State Police and Commissioner of the Maine Department of Public Safety, retiring in 1976.

Rita was employed from 1987-2002 as an office administrator for the Maine Principals’ Association in Augusta. She will be remembered for her warm smile, easy laughter, consummate kindness, and deep love for family and friends. A devout Catholic, she was an active member of St. Michael Catholic Parish in Augusta where she faithfully attended mass for as long as she was able at St. Augustine and St. Mary churches. She also served for many years in the former St. Andrew parish women’s club.

Appreciating music of all kinds – from Tony Bennett to Gershwin – Rita most especially loved family jam sessions and watching her grandchildren Jack, Will, and Reid perform with their band 12/OC. Rita was a musician in her own right and enjoyed playing the old standards on the piano, including Christmas songs at family gatherings. She delighted in idyllic summer days at the family camp at Moosehead Lake and cherished life’s simple pleasures like cheering on the Red Sox or sitting on her front porch on Fowler Street.

Rita is survived by her brother Roger Desmarais (Betty) of Bow, N.H., and her sister Claire DiCicco (Al) of Hooksett, N.H.  She leaves behind a large and adoring family: Randall Nichols (Mary) of Freeport; Brian Nichols of Lowell, Mass.; Diana Short (Ted) of South Berwick; Linda Nichols of Washington; Peter Nichols of Jefferson; and Donald Nichols, Jr. (Linda) of Dresden. Rita will be dearly missed by her 12 grandchildren, Staci Short, Ryan Short, Nicole Lamphere, Mark Nichols, Caroline Phillips, Laura Phillips, Jack Nichols, Will Nichols, Reid Nichols, Sarah Hannebury, Ian Nichols, Camden Nichols; great-grandson Eliot Cushman; several nieces and nephews; four godchildren; and many cousins.

In addition to her parents, Rita was predeceased by her husband, Donald, of Augusta in 1986; her son, Stephen of North Anson in 2006; and sisters Bernadette Martel and Pauline Wimsatt.

Rita spent countless special times with her dear friend of over 30 years, Bill Rollins of Augusta, who was supremely devoted to her and misses her greatly. Rita’s family also wishes to thank the staff of Balsam House in Readfield and Northbridge Granite Hill Estates in Hallowell for their skilled and compassionate care.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Monday, Nov. 22 at 11 a.m. at St. Augustine Catholic Church, 75 Northern Ave., Augusta, with interment to follow at the Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery (at Civic Center Drive), 143 Blue Star Avenue, Augusta.

Condolences, stories and photos may be shared at http://www.plummerfh.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Rita’s memory may be made to: the Natural Resources Council of Maine for their work to protect the Great North Woods