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Visitation:
9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at St.
Mary of Lourdes Catholic Church
Service:
Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the church
Funeral home:
Mason Funeral Home, 217 East Partridge Street,
Metamora, Illinois
Obituary
Rita Ann Haedicke, 62, of East
Peoria, went home to Heaven at 8:21 pm on Thursday,
June 30, 2022 at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in
Chicago, IL. She was born on February 1, 1960 in
Lincoln, IL to Christian E. and Anna C. (Kutz)
Westen.
She graduated from Hartem High School in 1978 in
Hartsburg, before attending nursing school at OSF
St. Francis Medical Center, graduating in 1981. She
married Larry W. Haedicke on September 12, 1981 in
Emden.
Together, Larry and Rita built their home in
Germantown Hills and raised a family of two sons,
Austin (1988) and Travis (1989). Rita loved being
involved in her children’s lives and extracurricular
activities. It was a joy for her to extend
“motherhood” and the home’s kitchen and couches to
any visiting family and friends.
Rita worked at St. Francis Medical Center for 40
years ensuring the care of expecting mothers and
healthy babies before retiring on February 4, 2022;
accumulating a BSN and MSN and multiple nursing
awards and honors. She felt so blessed to be a part
of the gift of life and loved every day that work
allowed her to share that gift.
Rita was a member of St. Mary of Lourdes Catholic
Church in rural Metamora where she was adamantly
engaged in the church community. Rita was a strong
believer in her faith insisting on spreading a
smile, kindness, and good faith to everyone she met.
She loved crocheting, camping, cooking, car shows
with her husband, and competing in the Heart of
Illinois Fair; but her biggest love was her family
and friends.
Rita was preceded in death by her parents; brother
Dennis Westen, sister Gloria (Westen) Kelroy, and
brother-in-law Pat Haedicke.
Surviving are her husband, Larry of
East Peoria; sons Austin Haedicke of Villa Rica, GA
and Travis Haedicke of East Peoria; brothers Larry
(Joyce) Westen of Emden and Clarke (Tammy) Westen of
Kenny; brother-in-law Tom Kelroy (wife, Gloria);
nieces and nephews (Bridget, Andy, Amanda, Kristen,
Brittany, Brandy, Shane, Jo Ellen); mother-in-law
Hilda, brother-in-law Mike, and sister-in-law Bonnie
(Ed) Estes.
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A funeral Mass will be held at 11:00
am on Wednesday, July 6, 2022 at St. Mary of Lourdes
Catholic Church with Father Eric Bolek officiating.
Visitation will be held from 9:30 am until time of
mass on Wednesday at the church. Burial will be in
the Haedicke Family Cemetery in East Peoria, IL.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the
Haedicke Family Cemetery or to a charity of the
donor’s choice.
Online condolences at
www.masonfuneralhomes.com. |
