Obituary of Rita E. Donnelly

Rita Helmer Donnelly, 87, of South Orange, N.J., passed away with family by her side on Jan. 31, 2019. Burial will be private.

Born in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., she attended Our Lady of the Lake school in Verona, N.J., and later graduated salutatorian from Franklin Delano Roosevelt High School in Hyde Park, N.Y., from the State University of New York at Cortland in 1953, and then in 1973 from Rutgers Law School in Newark, N.J. She was a teacher in Montclair and Fairlawn, and a public defender and a federal defender in New Jersey for most of her professional life. Active in civil rights and civil liberties causes, she was also active in the ACLU of New Jersey.

Predeceased by her sister, Mary Podolak of Irvington, N.J., former husband, Jac D'Joseph, and her son, Justin D'Joseph, Rita is survived by her loving son, Damon D'Joseph of Madison, N.J., and grandson, Dylan D'Joseph of New York. She is also survived by her brother, John Helmer and his wife, Janice, of Hyde Park, N.Y., sister, Joan Sclafani and her husband, Anthony, of Hilton Head, S.C., and numerous nieces, nephews, and dear friends.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society www.cancer.org.

 

 

 

 

 

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