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FRANKLIN – Rita Beltrami Jones Mitchell, 60, passed away Nov. 16, 2023 in her home with her family by her side after a two and a half year battle with cancer. Born in Virginia Beach, she was a daughter of the late Ernesto Beltrami Sr. and Mary LaVonne Sharkey Beltrami. Rita was also predeceased by her first husband, Bruce Reinhardt Jones; a sister, Theresa Henderson; four nephews, Jack Crabtree, Eric Henderson, Jeffrey Crabtree and Michael Beltrami; her mother-in-law, Arlene Mitchell; and her father-in-law, Lawrence Jones.

Rita was a 1981 graduate of Franklin High School and received an Associate’s Degree from Chowan College. She was a member of St. Jude Catholic Church.

Left to cherish her memory is her husband, Robert Walter “Bobby” Mitchell; a son, Bruce Lawrence Jones (Rachel) of Virginia Beach; two daughters, Marjorie Jones of Roanoke and Kelly Thompson; a stepson, Jeremy Mitchell (Ashley) of Norfolk; three sisters, Barbara Belanger (Richard) of Nashua, New Hampshire, Louisa Crabtree (Harold) of Obetz, Ohio and Laura Wagner (Joe) of Franklin; five brothers, Ernie Beltrami (Rita) of Franklin, Jimmy Beltrami (Joan) of Franklin, Robert Beltrami of Franklin, Mark Beltrami (Michelle) of Chesterfield and Joey Beltrami (Shannon) of Franklin; two grandchildren, Eliza Mae Jones and Evangeline Marie Jones, the lights of her life; a brother-in-law, Jimmy Henderson; her first mother-in-law, Mae Jones of Roanoke and many nieces and nephews. Special thanks is given to her sister Laura – she was Rita’s best friend, Sissy and often mistaken as her twin.

A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 25 in St. Jude Catholic Church with Father Emmanuel Mensah officiating. Burial will follow in Beltrami Family Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 – 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 24 in the funeral home where prayers will be offered at 6:30 p.m. The family suggests that memorial donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (800-608-3023).

www.wrightfuneralhome.org