It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of popular 1950s and 1960s model Rita Egan on November 1, 2009 in Newport Beach, California. She was 74 years old:

Rita Vollenweider of Irvine died on

Nov. 1 in the arms of her two sons, Darren

and Graham.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., she graduated

from Fontbonne Hall Academy in Bay

Ridge before attending St. Johns University.

After college, she became one of

the top models at the Ford Modeling

Agency in New York City.

In 1956, Rita married Donald MacIness

and settled in Franklin Lakes, N.J.

In addition to her sons, they had two

daughters, Shawn and Bryn. After Donald’s

sudden passing, Rita returned to

work and began a nearly 20-year successful

career in advertising with IBM

where she rose through the ranks of

management.

An avid tennis player, Rita met her

current husband, John, on the tennis

court. They were married in 1984 and

retired to Hilton Head Island, S.C. in

1994 where they enjoyed tennis, golf,

gardening and volunteering with their

favorite charities. Her happiest times

were spent teaching grandchildren how

to read, swim or bike.

Rita is survived by her husband,

John, her four children, two brothers

and five grandchildren (Nicole, Ray,

Brooke, Grace and Jack.)

She moved to Regents Point in August

2008 to be near her two sons,

daughters-in-law and two of her grandchildren.

A funeral mass was held on

Nov. 7 in Wyckoff, N.J.

OBITUARIES

SATURDAY, NOV. 1 4, 2009 IWN IRVINE WORLD NEWS

Susan Camp
Senior Editor & Archivist