Rita Waterman died on February 3, 2025 in her own bedroom in Middleborough, Mass. six months after she was diagnosed with cancer. She was 91 and a half.

Her parents, Jacob and Sophie Silberbusch, hailed from Eastern Europe, but had settled in Surabaya, in the Dutch East Indies, by Aug. 1,1933, when Rita was born. As a young girl, she spent several years in an internment camp following the Japanese invasion.

After the war, Rita traveled to the Netherlands by steamship, making stops in Australia and New Zealand along the way. She attended secretarial school and trained as a beautician in Amsterdam before meeting Dan Waterman, getting her green card and permanently settling in the U.S. Dan and Rita were married at the Toll House Inn in Whitman and lived in Plymouth and Holbrook but spent most of their lives in a Colonial house on a cul-de-sac in Weymouth, where they raised their daughters, Daniela and Miriam.

Beautiful and elegant, Rita never left home without lipstick, earrings and a few spritzes of perfume, her hair styled in a chic bob. She loved clothes and even made her own after learning to sew when she took an adult ed class in her 40s. Her house was spotless and she always made her bed.

Although she never voted in a U.S. election—she prized her Dutch citizenship—Rita had strong opinions about American politics (and didn't hide her visceral dislike of the current occupant of the White House.)

Rita's hobbies included shopping, going out to eat, and sampling Pinot Grigio at the wineries across New England she'd visit with her son-in-law, Dave. She never learned to drive but there were few things she enjoyed more than a long car ride, especially when Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Diana Ross or Lionel Ritchie were blasting on the stereo. The only experience that topped that was seeing all of them in concert.

She started each day with a slice of bread slathered with butter and covered with chocolate muisjes (Dutch sprinkles.) She ended each night with a glass of wine.

Rita collected dolls, rooted for the Red Sox and was a fan of spicy food, especially Indonesian rijsttafel. Even after six decades in the U.S., she never lost her Dutch accent.

She lived on three continents and traveled the world with her husband, visiting Hong Kong, Hawaii, Mexico and Israel, among other destinations. But her favorite place was closer to home: some of her happiest moments were spent relaxing at the Belmont or on the patio of a rented cottage in Wellfleet, Eastham or Truro, a testament to her lifelong affection for Cape Cod.

When she was younger, she devoured mystery novels, especially those by Agatha Christie, but in her later years, she preferred true crime. She was an avid viewer of "Forensic Files" and "Dateline," and would happily fill you in on all the lurid details of the most notorious criminal cases, from OJ to Karen Read, always expressing empathy for the victim.

She never learned to use a computer, didn't have email or a cell phone and thought social media was dumb. But she didn't need modern technology to keep up with the people she cared about or important events in the world.

Rita followed the news closely and was a student of history. She could answer any question about the monarchy of the Netherlands, the British royal family and the Kennedys. Throughout her life she was dialed-in to pop culture, from her girlhood obsessions with Shirley Temple and the Dionne quintuplets to the glamorous movie stars of the 1950s to Blue Ivy, Beyonce and the other celebrities she read about in People magazine.

In fact, a love of people was her most enduring trait. She took a keen interest in the lives of others, asking everyone she met about their kids, their jobs and their spouses. She was always listening and had a remarkable memory that never dimmed with age. She could recall the minute details of some small fact you had shared with her years earlier, long after you had forgotten.

Her large circle of friends included girlfriends from Holland, her fellow Oak Point denizens, the daughter of a former neighbor from Holbrook, the son of a former neighbor from Weymouth, Miriam's friends and co-workers, Daniela's best friend from high school, Dan's former Encyclopedia Britannica colleagues, the Lexington Road crew and many others.

Rita was predeceased by her husband, Dan Waterman, her brother, Bob Silberbusch, and her half-brother Norbert Silberbusch. She leaves her daughters, Daniela Altimari and Miriam Whippen; her son-in-law Dave Altimari, and her two beloved granddaughters, Sophia and Natalia Altimari. She also leaves her sister-in-law Cathy Silberbusch, and several nieces, including three she was particularly close to: Barbara Silberbusch, Phita Stern and Harriet Waterman.

In accordance with Rita's wishes, there will be no funeral. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, taking a friend to dinner or buying yourself an outfit.