Rita Florence (LeBlanc) Allen

Allen, Rita Florence (LeBlanc) MADISON-A sweet and gentle woman passed from this world Sunday, April 26, 2015 into the arms of Jesus. Rita Florence (LeBlanc) Allen was born in the small farming village of Tingwick, Quebec, Canada on Dec. 7, 1919. She was the third of Hormisdas and Mary Jeanne (Poisson) LeBlanc's six children. Rita was an excellent student and learned how to make much from little, a Depression Era attribute. It was in search of work that her family immigrated to Flint, Mich. in 1929, and there she grew up, finished high school and took additional classes in office operations, went to work (beginning at the local five and dime, to AC/Delco during World War II, and then in the office at Bell Bakery where she met her husband). She and Guion J. (Al) Allen, a World War II veteran from North Carolina were married in Feb. 1948. They welcomed five children into the world. Al's promotions in commercial bakery management moved the family throughout the north central and northeastern United States. At each location, Rita volunteered at her children's schools and in her local parishes' Altar and Rosary societies. By the time Rita and Al were working in Naperville, Ill. children were out of the house, and they eased into retirement. In retirement, they became involved with charitable works through Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Rita and Al purchased homes in Phoenix, Ariz. and Minooka, Ill. to be near family. Until Al's death in 2007, they enjoyed winters in Arizona's sunshine and summers on the Illinois prairie. Center to Rita's world was her Christian faith. Raised in the Roman Catholic tradition, she generously shared this faith with her family – a faith that sustains and comforts us with our loss. In addition to many in-laws, nieces and nephews, Rita's survivors include a sister, Sr. Lucienne LeBlanc, IHM of Monroe, Mich.; children, Charles (Carol) of Minooka, Ill., Gregory of Phoenix, Ariz., Jean (Don) Newhall of Plainfield, Ill., Joanne (Paul) Stoffel of Madison, Wisc., and Robert (Laura) of Yorkville, Ill.; grandchildren, Anne Allen, Michael (Meghan) Allen, Lisa Allen, William (Ashliegh) Allen and Katherine (Frank) Koncar, Jennifer (Edguardo) Ramirez, Elizabeth Allen and David Allen, Stephanie (Sean) Martyn and Kristen Boseo (fiancé Nicholas Dalzell), Andrea Stoffel (fiancé Kai-Biu Shiu), Laura (Jeffrey) Taylor, Stephen Stoffel and James Stoffel, Louis Allen, Clark Allen, Bobby Allen and Deborah Allen; and great-grandchildren, Alexander Allen Smith, Jaden Taylor, Brady Rossa, Clara Martyn, Orion Ramirez, Emma Taylor, Adrian Ramirez, Bennett Martyn and Scarlett Dalzell. Rita was preceded in death by her husband; parents; brothers, Maurice and Paul; sisters, Irma (in infancy) and Sr. Jeanne LeBlanc, IHM. Many thanks to all whose lives were touched by Rita's caring nature, for their kind words of support and shared loss – and especially to those whose caring sustained her life: in particular, the compassionate staff at Oak Park Place Memory Care II and Agrace Hospicecare. A memorial service will be held at ST. DENNIS CHURCH CHAPEL, 505 Dempsey Rd., Madison, from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m., on Wednesday, May 20, 2015, and a funeral Mass will be celebrated at ST. FRANCIS XAVIER CHURCH, 2500 Arbeiter Rd., Joliet (Plainfield), Ill., at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, May 22, 2015. Inurnment will be for immediate family only at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations would be greatly appreciated at Attack ACC Foundation, PO Box 557983, Chicago, IL 60655 or http://attackacc.org/donate.htm. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson East Funeral & Cremation Care 5203 Monona Drive (608)221-5420