Sedona AZ (December 21, 2020) – The year 2020 has taken yet another one of our shining stars, this time our cherished community luminary Ria Livingston, one of the most dedicated Sedona boosters this city has ever known.
![Tommy Acosta and Rita Livingston](https://sedona.biz//wp-content/uploads/20201221_TOMMY-RITA-LIVINGSTON-288x384.jpg)
It was not Covid-19 that took her. She succumbed to another disease so many of our elderly face today, that almost seems inevitable for those of us who live longer…that other killer called dementia.
I will never forget the day I met Rita. It was back in 2007 when I was contemplating quitting my job as an editor for a newspaper in Chandler, AZ and moving to Sedona.
I was renting a small house in Uptown Sedona and was spending the weekends here, getting a feel for this place. I was still totally on the fence and leaning towards staying in Chndler.
One night I went to see a movie at the Sedona Creative Life Center with a couple of friends about “Indigo” children; children being born at that time that were considered “gifted” by those in the metaphysical realm.
It was a moving film about these children being born, with certain talents and superior intelligence that would lead us into a better future.
At the end of the movie I turned to my friend sitting next to me and whispered that it would be only a matter of time before the forces of darkness would try to shut these children down.
Then I hear this woman yelling in the back of the theatre while the credits rolled.
She shouted “Listen everybody. It’s only a matter of time before the forces of darkness shut these children down!”
I was amazed that she had repeated the same exact words I had spoken into my friend’s ear, so I followed her outside where she was holding court surrounded by about 20 people.
I worked my way through the crowd and got her attention. I told her what had just happened.
She looked at me, really deep in my eyes, and asked, without addressing my observation, “What do you do for a living?”
I thought it was a strange question. But I answered her anyway. I told her I was the editor of a newspaper.
Without missing a beat, she said. “I am starting a newspaper here in Sedona. Do you want a job?
It was like, how did she know that I was contemplating moving here? And how could such an opportunity fall so effortlessly into my lap?
![Rita Livingston](https://sedona.biz//wp-content/uploads/20201221_ritalivingstonsedona.jpg)
Then I hear a woman standing next to Rita call out my name.
“Is that you Tommy Acosta,” she asked. “Don’t you remember me? You used to write articles for my newspaper back in Connecticut.”
Too much. By this point the coincidences were freaking me out. What the heck was going on?
I took down Rita’s phone number. Said goodbye with a promise to call and went to my rental to contemplate what had just happened.
Then, as I sat on the porch overlooking Sedona the inspiration hit me. It was one of those visions where you are transported into the future and dropped right back into the present with a bag full of truth. I saw myself here. I had no choice. I had to move to Sedona. And I did.
A few months later we put out our first publication of The Sedona Times, with me as the editor, she as the publisher, with members of the community writing for it.
It seemed that she knew just about everyone in Sedona and was on top of all the issues that were important to the community.
She introduced me to them all. It was a crash course on who the movers and shakers of this community are.
I never saw anyone fight harder for what they believed was right. Issue after issue Rita was standing there at the front fighting for what she believed was best for the community.
She never tired and she would insist I stand by her side and fight right along with her. Which I did. Who could deny such dedication and passion to do the right thing?
Eventually, time took its toll and Rita hurt herself. Funds dried up and the newspaper morphed into The Sedona Eye, which still serves the community today, carried forward by individuals who share that passion.
When she retired, Rita was finally honored and acknowledged for her work
I remember the twinkle in her eye, the love she showed everyone, her fierceness with
She fought for the good.
She was always ready with a quip to make you laugh. She was quick on the draw when it came any discussion about the future and benefits of Sedona.
In her wisdom she fought for the light and inspired others to do so as well.
It was she who introduced me to the community and laid the groundwork for my continued journalistic efforts for good through our other fine Sedona cyber publication, Sedona.biz.
Thank you Rita! Over and over again, for enriching my life and cementing the ideal in my heart and consciousness to be truthful to myself and to help others.
I will never forget you. I cherish the memory of your beauty and strength.
You used to love saying “We are the microcosm of the macrocosm.”
Words of wisdom that truer today than ever before.
11 Comments
Ah yes Meeting Rita was amazing… back in the day .. Like 1995 when we came to town..She was a light… and we had many meetings with her… The peace pole was only one…
I would see her at the Winds and she was still sharp… and knew me… Blessings to her ., Love
I remember Rita well, and Tommy all that you have done for fine jouranlism in Sedona.
Rita, another star in your crown! I still remember fighting the good fights with you… And when we stood with Apache and other elders on a ridge, watching bulldozers scrape the land which became eventually Seven Canyons, we both cried. Your dedication to this community will not go unnoticed. And thank you, Tommy, for this message of love for our dear friend.
I am so pleased to come across these remarks and remembrances of Rita. Rita was so very supportive of so many people including me. Back in the early days, she encouraged my writing and we stayed in touch. One day we ran into each other in the parking lot near the Java Love Cafe (2003 or so) and I told her I was thinking about an editor to help me with my first book Visionaries Thrive In All Times (2005). As we talked in the parking lot, she whipped out her phone and dialed up Catherine Rourke. As Rita introduced us, she handed me the phone to continue the introduction. As I talked to Catherine, a van pulled right up to us to see Catherine talking to me on her phone through the windshield! This, of course, started another magical friendship!
Rita brought magic to so many people. She was in the middle of it all. So sorry to hear about her passing but I hear it happens to the best of us.
Love to Rita.
Namasté
WELL, SAID TOMMY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SWEET TRIBUTE TO HER. YES, WELL RITA, I FIRST MET IN 1992-ISH. COULD NOT REMEMBER ALL THE ENCOUNTERS. YES, SHE NEVER TIRED, ALWAYS LOOKED DIRECTLY AT YOU, INTO YOU, AS YOU SPOKE. VERY PRESENT. ALWAYS A TWINKLE IN HER EYES AND GENTLE SMILE. FRIENDS OF THE “FOURNOS” GREEK RESTAURANT AND THE 1ST OF 3 COFFEE POT LOCATIONS. CAN’T REMEMBER HOW MANY EVENTS I SAW HER PARTICIPATING LIKE A WISE OWL OBSERVING OVER ALL. SHE HELPED ME WITH MY “NATURE HIKES FOR KIDS” TOUR COMPANY ON MANY LEVELS AND ALONG WITH MARTY WOLF OF EARTH WISDOM TOURS WHEN WE ALL PROTESTED FOR RACHAEL’S KNOLL AGAINST 7 CANYONS. I DEARLY LOVED SEEING HER SITTING I THE LOBBY OF SEDONA WINDS, YEARS LATER, ALWAYS STILL “TAKING IN” ALL GOING ON AROUND HER, AND STILL REMEMBER OUR PAST TOGETHER AND ALL THE NAMES OF OUR FRIENDS. EYES ALWAYS STILL TWINKLING. SO GLAD SHE SHINED IN OUR LIVES. GONE WITH THE FOURNOS NOW. JOBS WELL DONE!
THANK YOU TOMMY! And THANK YOU RITA!
Tommy, we so appreciate your tribute to this wonderful passionate and amazing woman.
Rita, you gave so much and we are all so grateful!
Peace and love on your new journey —–
Christine and Rob —-
Thank you, Tommy, for informing us of the passing of this wonderful, feisty lady. It’s been years since I last connected with Rita. Thinking of her brings back many fond memories. Farewell to the warm, creative, driving force that was Rita Livingston.
I visited Rita late 2019. She knew me, but drifted in and out. Dementia is so dense. I think I brought her a small token of my art – on a ‘make your own’ greeting card.
Pretty sure that it was 1989, when there was a big event at the elementary school – that I think Rita put together. The auditorium was packed!
That day I got to sing with Jeanie Carroll on stage. That was the day I met Rachel of “Rachel’s Knoll” fame . . . right near, as Kenyon mentioned, 7 Canyons. And, I’m quite sure it was Rita who introduced us.
Yes, thank you, Tommy, for writing such a great tribute to Dear Rita, truly a driving force in Sedona. I bet she’s doing excellent work in her ‘new world’, too!
Rita Livingston was a force of nature, the great connector of people in Sedona. I am happy to have known her in this lifetime.
Dear Tommy,
Thank you for this wonderful tribute to our beloved Rita. Sedona has lost her Grande Dame and Networker Extraordinaire but she will not be forgotten.
I remember visiting you with Rita at that house in Uptown! She spoke so highly of you & all she talked about then was getting you to move to Sedona. Like you, Rita was responsible for my move to Sedona in 2000 after meeting her at a harp concert at a bookstore in Basha’s plaza presented by my friends Joel & Serafina Andrews.
Rita was a catalyst and crusader for many causes and a connector for so many people including others on this feed who I met through her. I am so sorry to hear of her passing but know she has ascended to the highest realms. Thanks to her, I met many spiritual teachers and healers in Sedona and, like you, my journalism career expanded to new horizons in Sedona, serving as an editor & columnist at the Red Rock News, the Red Rock Review, Sedona Home & Garden and Body & Brain magazines and The Sedona Observer as well as helping you with your paper.
I owe so much of my soul journey & career path to our dear Rita & attribute dozens of my press awards to her constant support & encouragement. We will never forget Rita & her indefatigable drive & passion to speak the truth & transform Sedona media. There should be a statue erected in her memory in the center of the Y roundabout for all she did on behalf of the Sedona community. I love and miss you all!
Hi Catherine:
Yes. I remember how we met at my old Uptown digs in Sedona. I always admired your writing. She was a lightning bolt getting people involved in the issues that mattered at that time. All of our lives were enriched by this remarkable woman.