Rita Elizabeth Burns Pendleton January 5, 1955-July 28, 2016

Published 8:56 am Monday, August 1, 2016

Rita Elizabeth Burns, 61, of Pendleton passed away Thursday, July 28, 2016, at St. Anthony Hospital. She was born January 5, 1955, in Pendleton, Oregon.

A funeral service will be held Wednesday, August 3, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. at Burns Mortuary of Pendleton chapel with vault interment to follow at Olney Cemetery in Pendleton. Sign the online condolence book at www.burnsmortuary.com. Burns Mortuary of Pendleton is handling arrangements.

Rita was born to Charles J. and Alerita J. (Reser) Burns January 5, 1955, in Pendleton, Oregon. She was raised and educated in Pendleton and graduated from Pendleton High School.

After high school Rita moved to Los Angeles, California, where she worked in public television for KCET. She had also worked for temporary agencies in L.A. She later moved to Seattle, Washington, and attended Cornish College of the Arts. While in Seattle she worked at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and an insurance company as well as temporary agencies.

She later returned to Pendleton, where she worked at Burns Mortuary and then was employed by the Umatilla County Historical Society Heritage Station Museum. Rita enjoyed acting and she loved movies.

She is survived by her mother Alerita Burns of Pendleton, Ore.; her siblings Nancy and Bill Alsdurf of Kennewick, Wash., Bill and Betsy Burns of Keizer, Ore., and Eileen Burns of Portland, Ore.; nephews Charles and Abby Alsdurf, Jonathan and Wendy Burns, and Joseph Burns; and niece Mamie Custer, as well as five aunts.

She was preceded in death by her father, Charles J. Burns.