Rita Lederer

Rita (nee Lavery) Lederer (Mimi) exercised her right to the Lord's promise of eternal life on July 16, 2025 at the age of 90, but not before she lived an exemplary life as a daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother (Mimi) and great-Mimi. Her role in the extended Lavery-Lederer family began as the baby of the family and ended with her serving the last decade of her life as the family matriarch.

Rita was the youngest of the seven children of Thomas and Mary Ellen (nee Pfitzenmeier) Lavery. She was preceded in death by her sisters Dorothy, Agnes, Mary, Joan and Loretta and her brother Gerard. She was a proud graduate of St Michael grade school and the John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls' High School class of 1952.

Mimi was ardent and unwavering in her faith. St. Michael Parish was her bedrock. St. Mike's is where she received her sacraments and devoted countless hours volunteering. It was at St. Mike's where she met and married her Tommy. Born two days apart, they were classmates throughout grade school, began dating in high school and were dedicated to each other for the whole of their lives. They raised their children in this loving community of faith just as their own parents had. In fact, Rita achieved her goal of giving her children the happy lives anchored in faith and family just as she had been given. Mom loved us kids and she loved our kids even more.

Outside of the home, Mom would serve her neighbors as a teacher, business owner (Lederer's Tavern), community activist, and leader. She was a school teacher in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia where she reveled in her role as Miss Rita. Teaching was her true vocation. Later in life, when others were welcoming retirement, she became the director of the Kensington South Neighborhood Advisory Commission. In this role, Rita fought to save a forgotten neighborhood by removing a Superfund dumping site, and guiding federal, state, and local funds toward defeating urban blight, the scourge of many neighborhoods. The results can be seen in the number of traditional families that still own homes in this newly gentrified community.

Rita was faithful, strong, and riotously funny. She was welcoming and entirely too honest. Rita was loving and humble. She was grateful every day of her life for all that she had been given. We know this fact as every day for the past decade started with a text from mom to state that like the sun, she too had risen, and for us to get out and seize the day, but please, no texts for the following hour as she was attending mass on television.

She was our mom. We miss her terribly, but are so proud to be her kids.

Rita was the beloved wife of the late Thomas J. Lederer; devoted mother of Thomas J. (Mary), Gerard L. (Denise), Miles K. (Catherine), Seán P. (Margaret Mary), Mary Sue Sears (Chuck Miller) and Meghan K. (Robert) Campion; beloved Mimi of Kara (Sam), Rebekah, Thomas III, Bella, Gabriel, Josie, Seán, Jennifer, Ezra, Maeve (Eric), Meghan, Conor, Christopher, Robert, Mary, Regina Coeli, Vivian, and Adeline, and those she claimed, Kasey, Devon, Madison, and Erin.

Rita was, most importantly, the great-Mimi to Lavery Anne. She is survived by countless nephews and nieces, whom she adored and loved. Rita is reunited with her dear son-in-law Chris Sears, her siblings, brothers- and sisters-in-law, and her parents.

Relatives and friends are invited to her Viewing Saturday, July 26 from 9:00 am to 10:00 am at St. Genevieve Church 1225 Bethlehem Pike, Flourtown, PA 19031, followed by her Funeral Mass. Interment at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

If you are inclined, in lieu of flowers the family kindly suggests donations made in her name to St. Genevieve Parish, St. Bede the Venerable, National Brain Tumor Society, or St. Jude Children's Hospital.

We thank all of you for your kindnesses to Mimi and to us.