Margaret (Patterson) Rich

Our Matriarch, Margaret Ann (Patterson) (Backus) Rich of Ocala, FL and formerly a longtime resident of Marlborough, MA died on Saturday, March 2, 2024. Mom died peacefully of causes incident to age with her family at her side.

Marge, as she was generally known, was born in Knoxville, TN on June 17, 1932 to the late James A. and M. Elizabeth (Greenlee) Patterson. Growing up as a child of the Depression years she had an interesting and colorful childhood that took her from Tennessee to the Catskills of New York and ultimately to Massachusetts where she graduated from Oxford High School in 1950. She then worked as a bank clerk at Commerce Bank & Trust in Worcester until her first marriage to Murray J. Backus of New York.

After Murray’s tragic death in 1958 she returned to Massachusetts a single mother with three young children. Through her strong constitution she made it work and always made sure that we had clean clothes, a warm place to sleep, healthy food, and all the love she could give us.

Mom married Thomas S. Rich Jr. in 1963 and spent 44 years with him until his passing in 2007. Along the way she had three more children for a total of six, two boys and four girls. She was the consummate military wife holding the fort during deployments and ensuring that everything was covered while Dad was deployed. When Tom retired in 1971 we moved to the house on Brimsmead Street where we lived for over 40 years.

Once her children were grown Marge took a volunteer position in the laundry room at Marlborough Hospital where she would ultimately transfer into a paid position as the Housekeeping Supervisor. She retired in 1994 after many years of dutiful service.

Marge was predeceased by her parents, her brother James A. Patterson, and her daughter Sheryle L. (Backus) Riss who passed away in 2021.

She is survived by two sons, Michael W. Backus and his wife Nina of Sandy, UT and Thomas D. Rich of Marlborough, MA, three daughters, Carmen B. Davis of Largo, FL, Sandra L. Nadeau and her husband Roland of Ocala, FL, Kathleen A. Carmosino and her husband Peter of Hubbardston, MA, eight grandchildren, Michael Backus Jr., Matthew Backus, Kaitlin Davis, Timothy Riss, Sarah Riss, Nicholas Nadeau, Callie Carmosino, Becca Woodard, and five great-grandchildren, Benjamin, William, and Patrick Backus, and Sawyer and Memphis Riss. Marge is also survived by her sister Anna Lee (Humphrey) Riani and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Per her wishes, Mom will be cremated. We invite all family and friends to gather for Marge’s funeral service to be held in Marlborough, MA at 11:00am on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 in the Short & Rowe Funeral Home, 95 West Main Street, Marlborough, MA 01752. Burial to follow at Howard Street Cemetery, Howard Street, Northborough, MA 01532

A Visitation hour will be held prior to her Funeral Service from 10-11 am also in the Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Marge’s name to Disabled American Veterans or to a charity of your choice.

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