Rita Hughes

Obituary for Rita R. Hughes
July 2, 1938 – December 5, 2025

Rita R. Hughes, 87, passed away peacefully on December 5, 2025, in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Born on July 2, 1938, in Chloe, West Virginia, Rita lived a vibrant, determined, and entrepreneurial life marked by hard work, devotion to family, and an enduring love of hospitality.

Rita graduated from Uniontown High School in Stark County, Ohio, and later married, moving to Los Angeles at a young age where she began building both her family and her career. She spent many years shaping the restaurant industry from the inside out—managing esteemed 5-star establishments including the Smokehouse in Burbank and the Bonaventure in Los Angeles. Her confident leadership, warmth, and impeccable standards left a lasting influence on everyone she worked with.

Rita was also a successful entrepreneur. Alongside her husband Ron, she owned and operated Susie's Deli and Natoli's Café in Lake Havasu City, where she brought her passion for food, community, and quality service to life. Beyond the restaurant world, she thrived as a real estate investor and developer, always seeking new opportunities and taking pride in building things that would last.

On October 28, 1987, Rita married the love of her life, Ronald J. Hughes, in Akron, Ohio. They shared 38 beautiful years together, filled with travel, partnership, and the joy of building a home and life in Lake Havasu City.

Rita enjoyed traveling, cooking and baking, dog-breeding, and exploring business opportunities of every kind. She had a bold, spirited personality—one that inspired her family and friends and left a legacy of resilience, independence, and generosity.

She is survived by her husband, Ronald J. Hughes of Lake Havasu City, AZ; her sons Frank LaPenna and Thomas LaPenna, both of Tempe, AZ; her daughter Lisa Hughes of Manhattan Beach, CA; her brother David Jarvis of Florida; and two grandchildren, Thomas Jr. and Christian LaPenna of Los Angeles, CA.

Rita is preceded in death by her parents, Lonzo and Audra Jarvis; her sister, Manoka Gravesmill; and her former husband, Donald LaPenna.

Rita will be remembered for her fierce work ethic, her entrepreneurial spirit, her love for family, and the countless lives she touched through every meal served, every business built, and every journey taken. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all who loved her.