Rita M. Luecking

Rita Margaret Luecking, nee Mueth, 83, of St. Libory, IL, born Jan. 28, 1928 in New Athens, IL, died Thursday, June 9, 2011 at her home. She spent her final days surrounded by her beloved children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, family, friends, and her husband Hank’s music.


Rita was a homemaker; member of St. Liborius Catholic Church; the St. Liborius Council of Catholic Women; American Legion Auxiliary; St. Clair County Home Extension; and volunteer at Freeburg Care Center. Rita was an awesome quilter, an avid reader, a gardener, a good friend to many, and a pretty darn good mother who instilled in all her children a deep love for the printed word and learning.


Mrs. Luecking was preceded in death by her husband, Henry “Hank” Luecking whom she met in 1st grade and married on Sept. 24, 1947 in St. Libory, IL, and who died in 2006; her parents, Joseph and Louise, nee Henkle, Mueth; a daughter Lara in infancy; and two sisters, Mary Sandheinrich and Wilhelmina Luecking.


Surviving are her nine children, Stephen (Margaret) Luecking of Chicago, IL, Daniel (Jan) Luecking of Fayetteville, AR, James (Brenda) Luecking of Sidney, IL, Bruce (LaVella) Luecking of Poteau, OK, Nancy (Glen) Kruse of Rochester, IL, Thomas (Laura) Luecking of Freeburg, IL, Angela (Dan) Davis of Mascoutah, IL, Glenn (Kelly) Luecking of St. Libory, IL, and Jane (Sean) Hogan of Mundelein, IL; twenty grandchildren; 9 extra-special great-grandchildren; a brother, Francis (Marian) Mueth of Belleville, IL; two sisters-in-law, Josephine Averbeck of St. Libory, IL, and Dorothy Luecking of Hecker, IL; and numerous nieces and nephews.


In lieu of all other gifts, memorials may be made to Pregnancy Care Center, St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, 211 South Third St., Belleville, IL 62220; or to St. Liborius Church Youth Ministry Program, P.O. box 331, St. Libory, IL 62282; or Family Hospice, 5110 W. Main St., Belleville, IL 62226-4729.


Visitation: Friends may call from 3 to 7 PM Sunday, June 12, 2011 and from 7 to 9:30 AM Monday, June 13, 2011 at the Moll Funeral Home in St. Libory, IL. A prayer service will be held at 3 PM Sunday at the funeral hme.


Funeral: A funeral Mass will be held 10 AM Monday, June 13, 2011 at St. Liborius Catholic Church in St. Libory with Fr. Stan Konieczny officiating. Burial will be in St. Liborius Catholic Cemetery, St. Libory, IL.