Rita Real-Hagen, 94

ALFORD, Mass. — Rita Real-Hagen of Alford, Mass., passed away on September 8, 2017, at Berkshire Place in Pittsfield, Mass.

Rita was born on February 18, 1923, to Peter and Ida Pusterla of Jersey City, N.J. Rita grew up in Mount Vernon, N.Y., graduating from Davis High School in 1941. After high school, Rita studied art and design at the Parsons School of Design in New York City. 

Mrs. Real-Hagen and her beloved sons John and Brian moved to Alford, Mass., from Hartsdale, N.Y., in 1968. During her career in retail, Rita worked at Country Girl and Catherine’s Clothing in Great Barrington, Mass. Rita felt very strongly about helping her community and volunteered with the Fairview Hospital Auxiliary and the Alford Garden Club. 

Rita is preceded in death by her former husbands John W. Real and Paul V. Hagen. Rita is survived by her son John and his wife Patricia of Lanesborough, Mass.; son Brian and his wife Traci of Anchorage, Alaska; granddaughters and their husbands Kelsey and Kevin Crowder of Hollis, N.H., and Julia and Keenan Chenail of Williamstown, Mass.; and great-grandchildren Silas Chenail and Hazel Crowder. 

Funeral notice: A private family gathering will be held at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, N.Y. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations in Rita’s memory be made to American Red Cross – Disaster Relief or the Hospice of Western and Central Massachusetts in care of Dery Funeral Home, 54 Bradford St., Pittsfield, MA 01201, which is handling arrangements.