Rita Pacheco-Muller

Rita Pacheco-Muller of Pearl Street, Kingston died Monday, November 7, 2005 at Kingston Hospital. She was 79. She was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico on May 19, 1926. Rita was educated at the University of Puerto Rico and received a Masters Degree in Public Health. Dedicating her life to public health education, Rita was a consultant in the late 1960s for the World Health Organization in French West Africa. She previously served as director of Health Education in Puerto Rico; and elected to a term as the Chair of the Puerto Rican National Association of Health Education. In 1965 Rita moved to New York. For several years she was a supervisor for the NYS Department of Health’s public health division in Albany and then Chief of the Public Health Educators section. Rita then became Director of Community Programs to establish a statewide breast cancer screening program. She was a frequent visiting lecturer at universities around the country and contributor to international journals. Rita recently served as chairperson of the Health Education section of the American Public Health Association and as a consultant to the New York State Legislature’s Commission on Health Education and Illness Prevention. With the League of Women Voters, Rita participated in voter registration efforts. She was also an active YWCA volunteer and presented programs on local women’s heath concerns and AIDS. Surviving are her husband Dr. Hans H. Muller; one sister Olga DeSilva of Venezuela; two brothers Sixto Pacheco of Puerto Rico and Benjamin Pacheco of New York; one step-son Dr. Christoph Muller of Austria; one step-daughter Yvonne Winklman of Austria; several nieces and nephews. Funeral arrangements were private. Contributions in Rita’s memory may be made to the Kingston Hospital Foundation, 396 Broadway, Kingston, NY 12401. Rita was quoted in a 1993 article in the Daily Freeman: 'I am a very fortunate woman, I have worked hard, and I have enjoyed what I have done. One of the things I value most has been the opportunity to work with people from so many different backgrounds. It has made my life very rich, and is one of my greatest treasurers.'