Rita M. Duprey, 76, of New Bedford died January 1, 2025 at Care One New Bedford. Born in Acushnet, daughter of the late William H. and Nora O. (Ouimette) Duprey. She spent many years in Anaheim California where she enjoyed her career as a bus driver. While there, she connected with a Native American tribe where she developed long-lasting friendships.

Following decades in California, she returned to New Bedford and managed the pet department at Walmart in Dartmouth until her retirement. It was perfect for her as she had a great love of animals.

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Rita was a soft-spoken woman who had the most optimistic and grateful outlooks upon life, always with a smile upon her face. She had a great love of wolves and had spent her visits at The Loki Clan Wolf Refuge outside of North Conway volunteering while there.

While she connected with Native American Indians while in California, she kept the love of them when she came back east and enjoyed going to local Pow wows. When her sister Diane did their genealogy, it went back to the Huron Tribe. Recently she had been talking about that, reminiscing that it "Blew her mind" when she found out. Much of her life journey had become clearer armed with that information.

She enjoyed living at Tripp Tower and made friendships with some of the other tenants there. She was known for sitting outside on the bench, wearing shorts even in the winter.

Rita became a friend of Bill W. as of 8/8/1988 and lived in recovery the rest of her life. Her loving spirit will be missed.

Survivors include her sister, Irene Duprey-Gutierrez of New Bedford, and her niece Cathy Gutierrez of New York City.

Her funeral services will be private.