Rita Ann Corrado

Rita Ann Corrado

Rita Ann Corrado, 72, passed away peacefully on September 1st, 2017 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Rahway.  Born in Rahway to the late August and Rita Granrath, she lived most of her life in Clark.  Rita was a long time active parishioner at St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church in Clark where she served as a Lector at Mass and a Eucharistic minister to the homebound.  She was also involved with the prison ministry of the Union County Jail where she ministered to the woman inmates by praying the rosary and administering to them Holy Communion.  She was a published writer and poet and a songwriter and singer of Gospel music.  She leaves behind her very own CD’s.  To mention a couple of them they are titled ‘My Best Friend’ and ‘There’s No Love Like Thine.’  Her poetry book entitled  ‘My Heart My Mind and My Pen Combined’, and her self-help book which is about forgiveness entitled’ Footprints To The Other Side of Anger’ were written to help herself and other people.  Rita taught piano lessons for years in Clark.  She and her students performed at the Union County Art Center on Irving Street in Rahway and at The New Hamilton Stage on Seminary Avenue across from St. Mark’s Church in Rahway.  Rita also performed at local nursing homes and assisted living facilities.  Rita held a Baccalaureate of Arts degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison NJ where the faculty awarded her a plaque for outstanding academic achievement in her major field as an evening student.  She was the first student to give a memorized classical piano recital at The Mansion at Fairleigh University in Madison NJ just prior to her graduation.  She was also a graduate of Mt. St. Mary’s Academy in Watchung NJ and Mount Aloysius Jr. College in Cresson, PA. where she was also named to the dean’s list.  She is survived by her daughter Donna Marie from Arizona and a brother August Granrath Jr from Arizona.  She was the sister of the late Robert Granrath of Colonia, NJ.

The funeral Mass will begin at 9:45 am Monday September 11th at St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church in Clark, NJ followed by entombment in St. Gertrude’s Cemetery in Colonia.  Visitation will be from 4-8 pm Sunday at the funeral home.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Rita’s memory to The American Heart Association (www.heart.org); the Susan G. Komen Foundation (www.komen.org); Operation Smile (www.operationsmile.org); The American Cancer Society for breast cancer research 132 W 32nd Street New York, NY 10001, (Jennifer.diclemente@cancer.org); or your favorite local animal shelter.

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