Rita M. Pillion

Rita M. Pillion, 89, of Ottawa, Illinois, passed away Thursday, March 8, 2012 at St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, March 12, 2012 at St. Patrick's Church in Ottawa with Rev. Joseph Donton officiating. Visitation will be 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. Sunday, March 11, 2012 at Ottawa Funeral Home with prayers at 3:00. Burial will be at St. Colu mba Cemetery. Rita was born February 4, 1923 in Ottawa, Illinois to John T. and Mary Katherine (O'Donnell) Walsh. She graduated from St. Xavier Adademy in Ottawa. She married John J. Pillion on June 29, 1942 at St. Columba Church. He died September 24, 1973. Rita retired from the United States Department of Agriculture, ACSC. She was a member of St. Patrick's Church. She is survived by one son, Ronald (Lynn) Pillion; six daughters, Ann (Roger) Schmoeger, Rosemary Klein, Phyllis (Robert) Williams, Diane Stoudt, Debbie (Michael) Jarigese and Denise Jessen; sixteen grandchildren; thirty-one great-grandchildren; one brother, Thomas F. Walsh; and four sisters, Mary Irene Walsh, Catherine (Donald) Harmon, Marge (Harold) Aubry, and Joanne (Jack) Stortz. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John; a daughter, Julie Pillion; a brother in infancy; and two son-in-laws, Gerald Klein and John Stoudt. Rita loved to travel and enjoyed many visits to family and friends throughout the United States. Pallbearers will be Jeff and Dave Schmoeger, Steve Klein, Mike Williams, Rob Jarigese, and Santiago Medina. Memorials may be directed to the family for lung or eye research.