Rita M. Faulkner, 73

Rita M. Faulkner, 73, of Spring City, Tennessee died Friday, July 25, 2025 at Rhea Medical Center. Rita was born on December 31, 1951 in Cheverly, MD to the late Edward and Mary Kay Scully Maguire. She attended school at Lexington Catholic School in Lexington, KY. Rita loved animals of all kinds and spent the majority of her life working with them. She worked as a veterinary tech for many years and was also a groomer. Rita has shown Dobermans in AKC dog shows and worked on various horse farms in Lexington, KY attending to the horses. She also loved to paint. Rita was of the Catholic faith and attended St. Bridget Catholic Church in Dayton, Tennessee. Rita was also preceded in death by her sisters Regina McKnight, her twin Anita Ellis, her mother and father in law John and Pauline Faulkner Jr., her brothers in law Bill Tudor, Gayle Hatton and Don Wilson. Survivors include her husband John Faulkner II of Spring City, her son Bryan (Christy) Faulkner of Harland, KY, her daughter Jessica Sutton of Spring City, her brother Jim (Julie) Maguire of Spring City, sisters Theresa Tudor of Lexington, KY, Patricia Wilson of Sanford, KY, Mary Harmon of Sebring, FL and Kathy Hatton of Richmond, KY, other survivors include her sisters in law Mary (Tom) Collins of Spring City and Lynn Faulkner of Ft. Pierce, FL and her brother in law Butch McKnight of Columbia, SC. Rita is also survived by her grandchildren Mekala (Wes) Groetsema, Kellynn Sutton, Breanna Swanner, Hudson Faulkner and Christian Faulkner and several nieces, nephews and friends. Memorial services will be Tuesday, July 29, 2025 at 3:00 pm in the chapel of Vaughn Funeral Home with Father Jim Vick officiating. Memorials in Rita’s name may be given the Animal Alliance of Rhea County, 9118 Back Valley Road, Evensville, TN 37332. Vaughn Funeral Home, Spring City is in charge of the arrangements of Rita M. Faulkner. Please share your memories and thoughts of comfort for her family at www.vaughn-funeral-home.com