Rita S. Menders Nicol
1924 – 2015

WESTFIELD – Rita S. (Tardif) Menders Nicol, 91, died Tuesday in an East Longmeadow Nursing Home. Rita was born and raised in Northfield, VT. She entered nurse's training at St. Joseph's School of Nursing in Providence, RI, graduating in 1947. After World War II she worked in the Army Field Hospital in Wortzburg, Germany and upon returning to the States she worked in the Bristol, CT hospitals and later at Wesson Women's, Springfield Hospitals and Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. For many years she was the Director of Nursing for Ring Nursing Homes. She loved to play cards, made fleece lap blankets for the homeless, veteran's groups and friends, was an avid quilter, volunteered at the Springfield Open Pantry and made the best fudge. She was predeceased by her first husband Edward Menders, second husband George Nicol, her daughter Dr. Karen Menders Hebar and recently a grandson Mark Gill. She leaves two daughters Susan Gill and Chrystal Rosinski and her husband Joe; a son Edward Menders and his wife Jerma; five grandchildren Jonathan Gill, Deborah Boucher, Thomas Hebar, Joe and Steve Rosinski, two great grandchildren, a great great grandson and her son-in-law Dr. Wolfgang Hebar. She was the loving sister of Sylvia Roy and Robert Tardif and the late Lucille Hebert. A private funeral will be held in St. Anthony Maronite Church followed by burial in Gate of Heaven Cemetery. For more details please visit curranjones.com.