Rita L. (Mitchell) Falconer, 88 and a longtime resident of Framingham, died Friday, April 17 at The Highlands in Fitchburg after a short illness. She was born in Boston, daughter of the late Thomas and Mary (Kendrick) Mitchell, and grew up in Dorchester. She graduated from Girls High in Boston and married Raymond H. Falconer in 1949. They lived in Watertown and Marlboro before moving to Framingham in 1966 where she lived until moving to Leominster last July. She was predeceased by her husband Raymond in 2011 and her sister Alice J. Mitchell in 1969. She leaves a daughter, Cynthia, and her husband David of Petersham; a son, James and his wife Mary Ann of Westminster; her granddaughters Meagan Hawkins and her husband Matthew of Gardner, Katelyn Lincoln and her husband James of Lexington, KY, Emily Falconer and Allison Falconer of Westminster; her step-granddaughters Abbie Clark of Fitchburg and Wynne Clark of Orange; her great-grandchildren Charlie and Claire Hawkins, Page Lincoln and Rowan Gray; and several nieces and nephews. In her early years, Rita worked in the library at Harvard University and for Chandler and Farquhar in Boston. After moving to Framingham she continued working, in transportation and in retail, until her retirement. Rita loved to shop - her favorite store was the Christmas Tree Shop. Her house was always decorated for each holiday and season. She loved knitting, doing crafts and baking but most of all she loved her family. Rita enjoyed traveling with her husband on several bus trips and cruises but her favorite times were the summer vacations spent with her granddaughters at Swift's Beach in Wareham, MA. She was generous and outgoing and was everyone's "Auntie Rita." A funeral service will be held Wednesday April 22nd at 11:00am in the Chapel of the Matarese Funeral Home, 325 Main St. Ashland with burial to follow at Wildwood Cemetery in Ashland. One calling hour will be held Wednesday from 10:00-11:00am prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham MA 01701.