Rita Maloney

PRINCETON — Rita Alice Maloney, 66, of Princeton passed away Friday, April 12, 2013, at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria.

She was born on March 30, 1947, in El Paso, Ill., to Ralph and Camilla (Cleary) Gibbons. She graduated from Pontiac High School in 1965 and graduated from St. Mary's Dominican College in New Orleans, La., with her bachelor's degree in 1969. She received her master's degree in education with a specialty in family counseling at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in 1972. After graduation, she worked at the St. Clair County Public Aid Office in East St. Louis, Ill., and then moved to Princeton, where she became an administrator at the Bureau and Henry County offices of the Department of Human Services. In 2004, after 36 years with the state of Illinois, she retired on a Friday. The following Monday she started at the Zearing Child Enrichment Center in Princeton, where she was still currently employed and loved by many children and by her co-workers.

She was an active member of St. Louis Catholic Church. She was a member of CCW, a Gold Coat at Perry Memorial Hospital, a Eucharistic minister, volunteered at the Health and Wellness Clinic, and participated in helping people in many other aspects. Notably, she was always appreciative of the charitable organizations in and around Princeton, many times even going as far to thank them for allowing her to help. Rita married Matthew Maloney on Sept. 4, 1971, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in St. Louis, Mo. He died December 25, 2007.

Rita is survived by her three daughters, Catherine Maloney of Wyanet, Anne (Patrick) Day of Rhode Island and Mary Maloney of St. Louis; one granddaughter, Alexis Maloney of Wyanet; five sisters, Sister Mary Brendan of Aurora, Julie (Don) Martinez of Chicago, Jane (Francis "Skip") Smith of Indiana, Helen (Peter) Brandon of Olympia Fields and Rosemary (Tom) Crosby of Marion; one brother, James (Bonnie) Gibbons of Utah; one brother-in-law, Ken (Sue) Maloney of Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; one daughter, Mary Claire Maloney; her brother, Jack Gibbons; her sister, Sally Sengpiel; and a sister-in-law, Cheri Gibbons.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the St. Louis Catholic Church, Princeton, with Father Jeffrey Stirniman and Deacon John Murphy officiating. Burial will follow in the Oakland Cemetery, Princeton.

The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Norberg Memorial Home, Princeton, where a rosary will be recited at 7 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Zearing Child Enrichment Center or St. Louis Catholic Church and School.

Online condolences may be left at www.norbergfh.com.