Rita Patricia (Fallon) Lafrance

Rita P. (Fallon) Lafrance, 93, of Westport, wife of the late R. Aime Lafrance, passed away Wednesday, January 4, 2017. Mrs. Lafrance and her late husband were founders of White's Family Restaurant, Westport.

In 1946, Rita, Aime and Aime's brothers, Norman and Roger bought White's Spa on Pleasant Street in Fall River. It all started with four booths and six stools and later the Lafrances began White Spa Caterers. In 1955 they purchased the former Lamplighter Restaurant at the Narrows in Westport, naming it White's Family Restaurant. With Rita's everyday presence over the past 61 years, White's has hosted and employed generations of Greater Fall River families. Mrs. Lafrance was a member of the BMC Durfee High School Class of 1940.

She leaves a son, Richard L. Lafrance and his wife Muriel; grandchildren, Rachel Fellows and Charles, R. Christian Lafrance and Janna, Eric Lafrance and Tyler Carlson, Sean Lafrance and Jacki, all of Westport; 10 great-grandchildren, Emma, Molli, Ross, Samuel, Maggie, Eleanor, Leah, William, Grant and Hannah; a great-great-grandson, Liam; sisters, Joan Durand of Swansea and Patricia Ann Pettey of Westport and nieces and nephews. She was the daughter of the late James Patrick and Mary Louise (Crowell) Fallon and the sister of the late Kathleen Compton, Mary Marchand, Dorothy Trinidade and Jean Dvorak.

Her funeral mass will be held Saturday at 10:00 AM at St. John the Baptist Church, Westport. Interment will be private.

Visitation, Friday from 3:30 PM to 8:00 PM at the Auclair Funeral Home, 690 So. Main St., Fall River. Large parking area & barrier-free entrance at the rear of funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lafrance Family Scholarship Fund, Bishop Connolly High School, 373 Elsbree St., Fall River MA 02720.

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