Rita Norvilla Sak of North Brunswick, 82, passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on Wednesday, December 18th, 2024. Born May 10, 1942, in Denver, Rita's life journey took her across the country—from Colorado to California and Arizona—finally settling in New Jersey, where she spent the majority of her adult life.

While it is an impossible task, if one were to distill Rita's entire life into one word, it would be zest. The vocations of her life could fill a job board for an entire town: she babysat kids, shipped square dance dresses at a Denver textile factory, car hopped at A&W, cross-pollinated wheat fields, owned 3 local businesses in Bound Brook, checked out customers at Prints 'N Things, sold jewelry at her friend Bonnie's store, inspected bovine arteries, filed paperwork at Johnson & Johnson as well as John Wiley, and served as a bank teller at Bank of America. Each role she embraced added a vibrant thread to the rich tapestry of her life.

While the list of her varied career accomplishments is eye-opening, this does not scratch the surface on Rita's impact. She was a creator, crafting intricate embroidery, sewing, and macramé. She was a historian, proudly researching her family lineage as a Daughter of the American Revolution. She was a nurturer, growing rose gardens fitting of admiration. She was a giver, helping disadvantaged adults learn to read as a part of Literacy Volunteers of America. She was a comedian, transforming life's challenges into moments of shared laughter through her strong wit.

And if you asked Rita what she was most proud of, she wouldn't even have mentioned all of the accomplishments above. She would have beamed with pride about the family she built. Again, this being Rita, the scope of her experience is wide. She had three husbands: Harvey, James, and her favorite (her words, not ours), John. She enriched the lives of ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. In her final weeks, she learned with delight that her eighth great-grandchild was on the way. She was a matriarch in every sense of the word, playing a central role in the lives of every member of her family. She cherished the drawing of a grandchild more than any career accolade.

Rita is survived by her brother, Ed Hammons; her son, Troy Cleary, and his wife, Christine; her daughters, Michaele May and Trish Godbey, and her husband, Joe; ten grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. She is predeceased by her parents, Elmer Lloyd Hammons and Kibby Norvilla Hammons; her sister, Pandora Joan Davis; her children, Robert Cleary and Gina Tanski; and her husbands: Harvey Dale, James Cleary, and John Sak.

Visitation and services will take place at Kimble Funeral Home (One Hamilton Ave, Princeton, NJ) on December 22nd. Visitation from 12:00 to 2:30 p.m. Services from 2:30 -3 p.m.

Interment will be held privately.

Rita's time on Earth was a testament to a life well-lived. She touched the lives of everyone she met and will be deeply missed by her family and friends.