Family pays heartfelt tribute to loving mum Rita Rowley
A woman who lost her life in Whitchurch last month has been named as Rita Rowley in a heartfelt tribute from her children.
Last updated 10th Feb 2026
The woman, who has now been formally named as 84-year-old Rita Rowley, was found deceased at a property in Prees Heath on 27 January.
Police were called to the address where, sadly, Rita was pronounced dead at the scene. An 80-year-old man was also found at the property with life-threatening injuries.
He was arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in hospital in a critical condition.
Officers have confirmed they are not looking for anyone else in connection with Rita’s death.
In a heartfelt statement, Rita’s children paid tribute to their mum, describing her as independent, caring and community-minded.
They said their mum, originally from Malta, met and married their father Colin while he was serving in the RAF.
She then bravely moved to the UK, leaving her family behind to start a new life.
Rita worked as a seamstress and had a strong love of fashion, always taking pride in being smartly dressed. She and Colin shared a passion for travel and meeting new people. Even after Colin’s death, Rita continued to travel both in the UK and abroad, especially returning to her beloved Malta.
Her family say she loved music and dancing, with a special fondness for Elvis Presley and Johnny Mathis, and there was always music playing in her home – including modern tracks.
Rita was also a keen gardener, creating a vegetable patch and flower garden when she first moved to Higher Heath. She was described as an “exceptional plants woman”, skilled at propagating from cuttings and seeds, and always happy to share plants with others. She enjoyed visiting other gardens for inspiration and enjoyment.
Animals were another of her great loves. She would regularly feed stray cats, who would wait for her, and she doted on garden birds – with the bird cages in her garden standing as a testament to that. Her favourite robin would even come to the back door and wait to be fed.
Her children said Rita’s enduring Catholic faith, combined with her friendly personality, gave her a strong sense of community. She volunteered for more than 20 years at the Age UK daycare centre in Whitchurch, and also gave her time to drive people to appointments, help with shopping and support them with household tasks.
They said their mum “always worked hard throughout her life” and was constantly there for them, encouraging and supporting them to do well.
Despite living with Alzheimer’s, Rita remained “bright and engaging”, her family said, adding that she will be “greatly missed”.
They have asked for their privacy to be respected at this difficult time.