Hampstead - Rita J. Matson, 82, of Hampstead, NH, passed away peacefully at her home on Monday, April 20, 2026, with her loved ones praying by her side.

She was born on April 11, 1944, to the late Roland Fouquet and Anna-Marie (Brassard), in Beaupré, Québec.

Rita grew up and lived in the beautiful village of Beaupré, until the age of 22 years old when she met her first husband, the late James J Ryan, Jr, whom she married and moved to the United States where they had their daughters, Maria and Julie. Although she and Jim later parted, they remained life-long friends.

In 1987, Rita met her love, John A. Matson, Jr and they married on June 24, 1989. Rita and John had many adventures together including travel, golfing, and joyful times spent with family and friends. They were supreme hosts and had many memorable gatherings at their home in Woburn, MA where they lived for many years until they moved to Lakeland, Florida in 2012. In 2019 they returned to New England to live in Hampstead, NH. John and Rita made lifelong friendships wherever they went.

Rita retained her Canadian Citizenship and proudly became a dual Citizen of the U.S. and Canada. She worked in commercial lines at the Andover Company for 22 years and was an enthusiastic bowler in their company league.

To know Rita was to love her. She was kind and generous, loved to laugh and converse, finding great joy in socializing and in the lives and accomplishments of both friends and family. Her cooking and baking skills were unmatched, as was her love of good food. Her annual Christmas Eve parties held by her and John in their Woburn home were a cherished event by family, friends, and neighbors.

Rita is survived by her children, Maria Randolph and her husband Dale of Lawrence, MA, Julie Bowerman and her husband, David of Springfield, MA, step-daughter, Deborah Hill and her husband Tom of Chelmsford MA, step-son John Matson, III and his wife, Jill of Rockland MA; her sisters Denise Kilifarski and Diane Desjardins; her grandchildren, Norah, Emma, Sarah, Charlie, George, Stephanie, Jessica, Julia and Lily; her great grandchildren Ariano, Olivier, and Eloise; her former son-in-law Paul Cowley; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, Rita was predeceased by her loving husband John A. Matson Jr; her brothers Emmanuel and Marcel; and her sisters, Evelyne Coté and Liliane Grenier.

Friends and family are invited to calling hours on Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 9 to 11 a.m, at St. Anne Church, 26 Emerson Avenue, Hampstead, NH 03841. A Funeral Mass will begin at 11 a.m, at the church. Interment will take place on Monday, June 8, 2026, at 3 p.m, at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, 110 Daniel Webster Highway, Boscawen, NH 03303. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Saint Anne Parish Food Pantry. To leave an online message of condolence, please visit: www.carrierfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are under the care of the Carrier Family Funeral Home, 38 Range Road, Windham, NH 03087.