Obituary of Bridget Rita Wohrer

Bridget Rita (McCann) Wohrer left this world peacefully in her sleep surrounded by family on the beautiful Friday morning of May 6th, 2016 to be reunited again with the love of her life and her loving son. She was born December 18, 1925 on Manhattan Island in New York City, NY to Irish immigrants. Her mother was from Cork and her father was from Athlone. She grew up a devout Catholic in a strict Irish home, two things that meant a lot to her for her entire life. She went to Catholic School and Julia Richmond High School. At the tender age of 11 she met a neighborhood boy in Central Park. He believed it was love at first sight, but it took her a few years to admit it, too. From then and through World War II, Bill Wohrer was devoted to her. They married June 13, 1948 in Holy Name Church after Bill returned from the war and their devotion to each other never waned for a moment of their lives. It was true love and one that inspired others. Their first son William James Wohrer (Billy) was born February 28th, 1954 in Manhattan. Their second son Robert Brian Wohrer (Robbie) was born December 7th, 1962, in Poughkeepsie, New York. In 1967 husband Bill relocated the family from New York to Nassau Bay, Texas. Bill worked with IBM in the early Apollo era and came to the area to help send the first astronauts to the moon and back. Rita was a wonderful, kind and caring mother and wife, who took great joy in spending as much time at home with Billy and Robbie as possible during their childhood and school years thru high school. It was a precious gift to her children. She was home when they stepped off of the school bus during the week and during summers. She drove many a carload of her sons and their friends to and from baseball and soccer games, acting classes and scouts. She spent tireless evenings helping them devise and tackle school projects, Halloween costumes, or searching out ideas to help and inspire them. An example of Rita’s devotion to her children and how it shaped their adult years was organizing a cub scout outing to a broadcast radio station for her son Billy. It made a permanent impression on him. Billy later studied Radio, Television and Film in college, went on to a very successful career as a Houston radio personality and started his own announcing and advertising business, Moffett Productions, all of which ultimately landed him in the Texas Radio Hall of Fame. Rita and Bill moved from Nassau Bay to Pearland in 1982 after their youngest son Robbie set off for college to study electrical engineering and business, later following in his father’s footsteps working at IBM. Rita and Bill began their retirement years enjoying the early days of their new home in the Country Place retirement community, golfing, playing bingo and enjoying time with many close friends. Rita’s son Billy married Michalene Ward in July of 1974 and they started a family of their own bringing Rita three wonderful grandchildren to adore and influence in many of the same ways that she had her sons. Her son Rob and Amy married in May of 2007, bringing to her family another grandchild who she unconditionally showered with love, affection and Yaya cupcakes. Rita was a tireless volunteer. She was a Cub Scout Den Leader, active PTA member, and was a volunteer Librarian at her son’s schools. She was team mom for many baseball and soccer teams, and chauffer and volunteer helper for most of the other things her kids were up to. She also was a volunteer at St Lukes Hospital for many years. When her kids were older, she devoted some of her time to some of her own interests of painting, knitting, needlepoint and china painting. She loved to sing and was an active member of the Country Place Singers for nearly 15 years. Rita is survived by her daughter-in-law, Michalene Wohrer, granddaughter Lindsey Wohrer, grandson Chris Wohrer, grandson Jeff Wohrer, her second son Robert Wohrer, daughter-in-law Amy Ellison, grandson Angus Heartsill. Sadly she was preceded in death by her first son William J. (Bill) Wohrer, her husband William G. (Bill) Wohrer, her sisters Irene O’Neill and Mary A (Mazie) Sabino, her mother Eileen (Cavanagh) McCann, her father James F. McCann and most of her dear friends. Rita Wohrer loved her family, she loved her friends and she loved life. She was as sweet as they come. Though we all loved her immensely with all our heart, she loved us more. Visitation for Bridget will be held Thursday, May 12, 2016 from 6:00 until 8:00 pm with a Rosary recited at 6:00 pm at Clayton Funeral Home, 5530 W. Broadway, Pearland, Texas 77581. The Funeral Mass will take place Friday, May 13, 2016 at 12:00 pm at St. Helen Catholic Church, 2209 Old Alvin Rd. Pearland, Texas 77581 with Father Jim Courville officiating. Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Houston, Texas.