Everton Football Club is saddened to learn of the passing of Lady Rita Carter.

Lady Rita, the wife of pioneering former Everton Chairman, the late Sir Philip Carter, died peacefully on 27 December, aged 95.

Born Harriet Rita Evans in 1925, Lady Rita married Sir Philip in a ceremony at Waterloo’s St Edmund’s Roman Catholic Church in May 1946.

The couple were married for almost 69 years before Sir Philip’s passing in April 2015.

Lady Rita was regularly by her husband’s side at Club events and was a universally loved figure at Goodison Park.

Described as “wondrous” by Chairman Bill Kenwright and “incredible” by CEO, Denise Barrett-Baxendale – the popular Lady Rita will be missed by everybody at the Club.

The thoughts of everybody at Everton are with Lady Rita’s family.