RITA CLIFTON

CAIRO, Ill. -- Rita M. Downing Clifton, 79, of Stone Mountain, Ga., died Friday, June 6, 1997, at DeKalb Medical Center in Atlanta, Ga.

She was born April 26, 1918, in Cairo, daughter of William and Blanche Fitzgerald Kreitner. She married Jack Downing, who died in 1970.

Clifton was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church and American Legion Auxiliary.

Survivors include a daughter, Lynda Smith of Stone Mountain; a sister, Martha Duckles of Cairo; a brother, Bill Kreitner Jr. of Jacksonville, Fla.; two grandsons; and two great-grandchildren.

There is no visitation.

Funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, with the Rev. Jerome Fortenberry officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery at Villa Ridge.

Barkett Funeral Home at Cairo is in charge of arrangements.