Friday, November 6, 2026
Rita Thomsen Dunstan Lombardi was born in Kiel, Germany, on June 8, 1940. She was the daughter of the late Thomas Hermann Thomsen and Gertrud Elisabeth (Laurich) Thomsen.
After spending her childhood helping her mother raise her siblings, Rita left home and worked as an au pair living in Italy, Switzerland, and England. She then made her way to the U.S., where she worked for a family in Scarsdale, New York. Living in the U.S. as a young woman from Germany with a strong accent was often difficult, as there was still plenty of German resentment leftover from WWII.
There was no opportunity for Rita to get a formal schooling at home, but she was always striving to learn and knew the importance of an education. She took English and business classes. In 1981, Rita earned a high school diploma and was rightfully proud of that.
Rita found a job at Gestetner Printing Corp. in Yonkers, New York, where she met her first husband, Howard. Rita and Howard got married in Ossining, New York, in 1966, and had two sons together. Their marriage lasted 15 years.
Now Rita faced another challenge, raising her sons in a house she had just purchased. Having a house with a yard for her sons to play in was a driving force, and she wouldn’t let anything or anyone stop her. Now working nights in a nursing home, Rita accepted a job as a receptionist in her gynecologist’s office. Dr. August quickly realized Rita was far more interested in what was happening in the exam rooms than behind a desk. Little by little, she was given tasks assisting the doctor and loved it. The office closed after a few years due to retirement, and Rita was highly referred to a very busy pediatrician's office where she slowly became their head assistant doing everything, including giving injections. Many of her son’s classmates would say Rita was the best shot giver…they never felt it.
Rita managed to keep her sons in that house until shortly after they graduated from high school. She had a new man in her life, Jim Lombardi, and they moved to Florida in 1993, where they were married and lived on Marco Island. After having some good years together, Jim’s health declined, and he passed away in 2011. Now it was time to focus on her own health, which had also become serious.
During this time, her son Neil and daughter-in-law Ava would give Rita two beautiful granddaughters, Bailey and Laney. She would also be excited to learn she would be a great-grandmother.
With the help of her family, who lived nearby, Rita was able to remain at home as she was adamant to do. Working in a nursing home must have left quite an impression on her. Sadly, Rita passed away in hospice care in Naples, Florida, on August 5, 2025.
Rita was a very strong and strong-willed woman who loved her family dearly. She also enjoyed music, dancing when the opportunity arose, being on the water, and giving way more Christmas presents than she could afford.
Rita was predeceased by her brother Warner, her nephew Carsten, and her niece Britta. She leaves behind her sons Mark Dunstan (Lynn), Neil Dunstan (Ava), granddaughters Bailey (Seth) and Laney Dunstan, a great grandson Coast, her beloved sister Jutta, and sister-in -law Inge, both who live in Germany.
Donations can be made in her name to the American Cancer Society and Avow Hospice of Naples, Florida.
August 14, 2025 Coastal Breeze News
