Rita L. (Kander) Wowak

Rita L. (Kander) Wowak of Calverton died at home with loving family at her side Sunday, June 16. She was 86.

She was born Wednesday, May 24, 1933, to Hedwig Petraszewski and John Kander in New Suffolk, N.Y.

Ms. Wowak graduated from Mattituck High School and later earned a CNA nursing degree. She was employed as a telephone operator for New York Telephone and as a home health nursing aide for many years.

Her family said she was an “amazing baker” who made lemon meringue pie and blueberry cake and a “professional yard saler” who also selflessly drove her son to altar serve at early Mass for many years.

She married Stanley “Buddy” Wowak Nov. 28, 1953, at Our Lady of Ostrabrama R.C. Church in Cutchogue, N.Y., followed by a reception at Old Mill Inn in Mattituck.

She was predeceased by her eight Kander siblings: Marian, Stephanie, Victor, Clarence, Tony, Claire, Tommy and Delores. She is survived by her loving husband, Buddy; her daughter, Karen (Tom) Adams; her sons Daniel, Michael and David (Rossana Bartoli-Fox); grandchildren Alyssa (Tommy) McGrath, Ryan Adams (Yitong Wang), Daniel Jr. and Angelica Wowak, Laura (Kevin) Knab, Justina (Fredrik) Bartoli-Torisson, James (Lydia) Miller, Elisabeth Miller and Joseph Miller; and her great-grandchildren Connor McGrath, Siri and Ada Bartoli-Torisson, and Marta Miller.

A funeral Mass will take place Friday, June 28, at 11 a.m. at Saint Isidore R. C. Church, 622 Pulaski St., Riverhead, officiated by Father Piotr Narkiewicz. Interment will take place at Calverton National Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to American Cancer Society, cancer.org.

Tuthill-Mangano Funeral Home in Riverhead assisted the family.

This is a paid notice.