Rita Lindberg, 79, Was Veteran of World War II

Rita (Abdella) Lindberg, 79, of Oak Bluffs died Wednesday, June 26, at home at Woodside Village.

She was born on Jan. 2, 1923 in Worcester as one of eight children of Joseph Abdella and Mary Sleliam.

She grew up in Worcester and attended the Salters Secretarial School. In August 1943 she enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as one of the first women allowed to serve during World War II. She was discharged as a sergeant in November 1945.

She returned to Framingham for 20 years and worked for then Bell Telephone Company as an operator and for the Ford Motor Company in Natick as an administrative assistant. For the next five years she lived in Hopkington and retired from the Army Research Laboratory in Natick.

In 1984 she and her husband, Arthur I. Lindberg, married for 52 years when he predeceased her in June 2000, retired full-time to Martha's Vineyard. She was a devoted Catholic and supporter of St. Elizabeth's Church in Edgartown.

She was an avid reader and very interested in politics. She volunteered her time for various local campaigns and enjoyed being with her family.

She is survived by her two sons, Arthur P. Lindberg of Shrewsbury and Stephen F. Lindberg of Auburn; a sister, Martha Bates of Worcester; her brother, Vincent Abdella of Grafton and Florida; seven grandchildren, Stephen, Sean, Kristen, Alison, Joseph, Mary and Christina, and several nieces and nephews.

Visiting hours will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 29, at the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs. There will be visiting hours from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, June 30, in the O'Connor Funeral Home in Worcester. Her funeral will be held at 8:30 a.m. from the O'Connor Funeral Home on Monday, July 1, and the Funeral Mass will be held at 9:30 a.m. in St. Joseph's Church, Auburn. A private interment will follow in All Faith Cemetery, Worcester. Donations may be made in her memory to Martha's Vineyard Community Services Inc., P.O. Box 369, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568.