Rita Chopoorian

Henrietta “Rita” Chopoorian, 85, passed away April 9 at Saint Clare’s Hospital in Dover, N.J.

It’s fitting that Rita left this life on Easter Sunday, one of her favorite holidays. Along with being a devout Catholic (who would search out local churches for Sunday Masses during vacations), Rita was a fabulous hostess, inviting family and friends for gourmet meals on special days. As her daughter Lisa DeVries said, “Holidays were her Super Bowl.”

Born Feb. 8, 1938, in Jersey City to parents William and Anna (Redmond) Scarpetta, Rita grew up with older brother Walter, attending Weehawken High School. Her hard-working family lived a modest life and her greatest joy as a young girl was buying a bag of potato chips and a Pepsi. In high school, Rita had many friends, was voted “Class Wit” and had aspirations to become a nurse. At Weehawken High, she was also fortunate to meet Donald Chopoorian, the love of her life.

Together since age 17, Don and Rita were married at age 20 in 1958. They first lived in an apartment on Park Ave. in West New York and then bought a home on 90th St. in North Bergen. Though she did well in her studies, Rita decided nursing was not the career path for her and went to work as a secretary in New York City and later for her father’s embroidery company. Soon after, the couple welcomed son Donald in 1960 and daughter Lisa in 1962.

With Don’s success as a salesman in the business his father founded, Supreme Specialty Advertising, the family moved in 1972 to a new home on Gerard Rd. in Nutley, N.J. It was here Rita enjoyed many of her happiest years.

“They were happy, sociable and friendly,” said sister-in-law Jeanette Der Hagopian about Don and Rita. “People just gravitated to them.”

Summers went spent by the in-ground backyard pool, surrounded by family, who meant everything to Rita, and many, many lifelong friends. There were frequent trips to exotic places and weeks spent at the Jersey Shore. Dinners out in Nutley often ended back at the immaculate Chopoorian home (Rita was a bit of “neat freak”) for singalongs around the piano. Don and Rita indeed lived a “Big Life.”

During holidays, the dining room table was set with fine china, ready for the delicious meal Rita prepared. This was serious stuff and every minute was accounted for – captured in Rita’s handwritten meal schedule affixed to the side of the refrigerator. After the sumptuous dinner, guests were treated to incredible desserts, another area where she excelled.

After Don and Lisa married, Rita entered another happy phase of her life as “Nanny.” She doted on four granddaughters – Jessica and Alyson from Lisa, and Lara and Anya from Don. No toy or treat was off-limits for Rita’s granddaughters, and many times Don was dispatched to Toys R Us to pick up presents. Her granddaughters were the light of her life.

When Lisa and husband Jack moved to Ledgewood in 2000, Rita and Don relocated a year later to nearby Mt. Arlington to be nearer to all their family. They were frequent attendees at their granddaughters’ concerts, plays, sporting events and Girl Scout celebrations. It was a happy time.

Though in later years, Rita and Don battled health problems (with Don passing in Aug. 2020), they maintained their love and companionship by solving TV murder mysteries together in their living room and watching the reality shows Rita loved. She also maintained her lifelong sense of style in her dress, makeup, hair, lashes and nails (even if she had to often be 15 minutes late to an event).

Throughout her life, “Nanny” continued to keep an immaculate home and, when she wasn’t able to cook, provided her beloved daughter Lisa with her large library of handwritten recipes to continue the great meals for the family.

While Rita is gone, she remains in the hearts of her family and friends who will treasure the many memories she worked so hard to create and the incredible love she shared.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made, in Rita's name, to St. Jude's Children Research Hospital. http://www.stjude.org