Rita M VanDeVelde - 83
7/18/1928 - 9/10/2011

Tampico - Rita M VanDeVelde, age 83, of Sterling, Illinois died on Saturday September 10, 2011 at Genesis East Hospital in Davenport, Iowa.

Rita was born on July 18, 1928 in Deer Grove, Il. the daughter of Edward and Elizabeth “Bessie” Callahan. She was united in marriage to Robert VanDeVelde on August 5,1950 in St. Mary’s Church in Tampico. She was educated in Deer Grove Grade School, Tampico High School, and Mount St. Clare College in Clinton, Iowa. She lived in Rockford, Il., Sterling, Il., and Des Moines, Iowa during her lifetime. She was a school teacher at a one room school in Whiteside County and also taught school at Harlem Grade School in Rockford and Wallace Grade School in Sterling prior to raising her family. She worked closely with her husband for many years at Velde Distributorship in Des Moines. Iowa.

She was a member of St. Mary’s Church in Sterling and The Altar & Rosary Society, and a former member of St. Bridget’s Altar & Rosary Society in Rockford, and St. Pius Altar & Rosary Society in Urbundale, Iowa.

She is survived by her husband Robert of Sterling, Illinois; one daughter Christine (Donald) Luskin of Portola Valley, CA; two sons Bruce (Debbie) VanDeVelde of Ruston, Louisiana, and Craig (Debbie) VanDeVelde of Naperville, Illinois; 6 grandchildren Roark Luskin of Nashville, Tn., Ashley VanDeVelde of Ruston, Louisiana, Trevor, Caitlyn, and Sean VanDeVelde all of Naperville, Il., and Callahan VanDeVelde of Palatine,Il., and 9 nieces.

Rita was preceded in death by her parents, one son Mark, and 2 sisters Jane and Joan.

Mass of Christian burial will be held Friday September 16, 2011 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Tampico at 10:00 AM with Msgr. Thomas L. Dzielak, pastor officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery Tampico, Illinois. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 4:30 PM until 7:30PM at McDonald Funeral Home Sterling, Illinois with a rosary recited at 4:00 PM. A MEMORIAL HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED IN HER MEMORY IN LIEU OF FLOWERS TO ST. MARY’S CHURCH IN TAMPICO, ST. MARY’S GRADE SCHOOL IN STERLING, AND HONOR FLIGHT OF THE QUAD CITIES.
Arrangements have been completed by Garland Funeral Home Tampico, Illinois. Condolences may be sent to www.garlandfuneralhome.com.