WALLINGFORD - Rita Salvi Katona, 78, of 30 Laurel View Park, died Monday, December 25, 2006 at the Kateri Residence, 150 Riverside Dr., Manhattan, NY. She was the former wife of Dennis Katona, Jr. of Wallingford. She was born in Norwalk, CT, November 11, 1928, a daughter of the late Ernest and Lucia Petrucelli Salvi. A medical assistant by vocation, Rita creatively found many types of employment that allowed her to be at home in order to raise her family. After moving to Wallingford in 1968, Rita was best known as the Wallingford Welcome Wagon Lady for over 26 years & was a member of their Diamond Circle. She was a director and 2nd VP for the Center Street Cemetery Association, a member of the Historical Society, the Historical Preservation Trust, the Republican Town Committee and a lifetime sponsor of the Rosa Ponselle Fund. She was also a Justice of the Peace and Notary Public since 1980. She received recognition from the CT General Assembly for her service to her community, among other community awards. She served on the Wallingford Visitors Council, was a member of the Senior Center where she assisted in computer courses, was a long time volunteer at the Shubert Theatre, and was an active member and former calisthenics teacher of the YMCA. In addition to her former husband, she is survived by a son, Ronald Katona of Wallingford, two daughters, Rhea K. Angle and her husband David Angle of the AZ and Raissa Katona Bennett and her husband Dr. Garrett Bennett of NYC, one sister, Jean Salvi Vigilante and her husband Joseph of Morgan Hill, CA, a grandson, Ryan Dolan and his wife Pam, three great granddaughters, Shea, Abigail and Cameron, several nieces and nephews, and her beloved "grand-dog", Bullet. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 6, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. in the chapel of the B.C. Bailey Funeral Home, 273 South Elm Street. Burial at Center Street Cemetery, Wallingford will be private. Friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. If friends so desire, gifts in her memory may be made to the Historical Land Preservation Trust, P.O. Box 369, Wallingford 06492.