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Rita Thorp Olsen | Visitation:
Friday, October 16, 2009
4:00 PM until 7:00 PM
Halligan-McCabe-DeVries Funeral Home
614 Main Street
Davenport, IA 52803
Service:
Saturday, October 17, 2009
10:00 AM
St. Anthony Catholic Church
417 Main Street
Davenport, IA 52801
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| | | Rita (Thorp) Olsen, 67, a resident of Davenport, formerly of Rock Island, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, October 13, 2009, with loved ones by her side. She had courageously battled an illness and two surgeries at both Genesis East and West campuses.
Funeral services and a Mass of Christian Burial for Rita will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, October 17, 2009 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 417 N. Main Street, Davenport. Burial will take place in St. Anthony’s Cemetery, Atkinson, IL. Visitation will be on Friday from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. at the Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home, 614 Main Street, Davenport. There will be a Christian Wake Service to begin the visitation at 4:00 p.m.
Rita Thorp was born on February 17, 1942 in LeSalle-Peru, Illinois, the daughter of Dale and Janet (Oberle) Thorp. She graduated from LeSalle-Peru High School in 1960, Moline Community College in 1962, and Marycrest College in 1964. She did her student teaching at Willard Grade School in Moline. Over the following many years Rita was a dedicated teacher, touching the lives of many students from Lincoln Elementary School to Audubon Grade School, Rock Island. She retired in 2004.
Rita married William Olsen in 1993, and was a loving and devoted wife and mother. He died in 1998. Rita remained a devoted stepmother and friends with the Olsen Family thereafter.
Shortly before Rita became ill, she gladly became engaged to Carl Schnell. Carl was a great supporter of Rita and remained at her side loyally until the end.
Rita loved to read. She had a big caring heart and was loved by her many friends, stepchildren, godchildren, relatives, and students. She was always there to care for others with life's inevitable challenges. She faced her own challenges head-on and recently celebrated 34 years of sobriety with her proud AA affiliation.
Rita was also a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church, and an active member of Benedictine Oblates of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island and a bible study group at St. Paul the Apostle, Davenport. She had a strong faith in God, a faith visible in her daily actions and displayed throughout her home. Rita was incredibly generous, supporting various charities locally and nationally.
Memorials may be made to the Benedictine Oblates of St. Mary Monastery, Rock Island, St. Anthony Building Fund, Davenport, or to the Scott County Humane Society.
Rita is survived by a sister, Joan Randall, Holland, Michigan; step-children, William "Kip" (Robin) Olsen, Davenport, Patricia (Tom) Mitchell, York, Pennsylvania, Jennifer (Jim) Lanphere, Davenport, Matthew Olsen, Dubuque, Melissa (Keith) McBride, Cedar Rapids, IA, Barbara (Robert) Lipnick, Davenport, John (Jennifer) Olsen, Davenport; and godchildren, Nona (Dierickx) Neuleib (Atkinson, IL) and Jay M. DeVrieze (Moline)
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