Obituary of Rita J. (Grenier) April

Rita J. (Grenier) April PEABODY – Rita J. (Grenier) April, 92, returned to her heavenly home on March 11, 2016. She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Gerard April, with whom she shared 46 years of marriage. Rita was called to heaven on her husband’s birthday which gives the family great comfort knowing that Jerry had a part in her passing and they are reunited again in spirit. Rita was born in Thetford Mines, Quebec, Canada in 1923 to the late Rene and Florentine (Pomerleau) Grenier, and immigrated to the United States with her family when she was three years old. Raised in Lowell, Rita was the oldest of six children. Rita was formally educated until 8th grade, and then worked in the Lowell Mills alongside her sister Lillian. In recent years, she thoroughly enjoyed taking her friends, family and grandchildren on tours of the mills. Even though these tours were directed by official Lowell guides, she proudly took over and treated all there with her own personal stories of her time as a bobbin girl. Rita married the love of her life, Gerard, at the age of 27 after he was discharged from WW II Submarine duty. Their two oldest children, David and Linda, wer born in Dracut and Renee, their youngest, was born after moving to Peabody. Rita and Gerard loved camping and when their children were young, spent five weeks every Summer traveling throughout the country in their pop-up camper. After the children were all in school, she worked at Marshall’s until her retirement in 1986. A true servant to God, Rita’s life revolved around her parish, St. John the Baptist Church in Peabody. It was there that she met her lifelong friends and touched the hearts of so many. She was a Past Prefect of Ladies Sodality, sewed the Baptismal robes for babies, cleaned the church weekly, and many will never forget waiting all year for her famous pan scrubbies sold at the Christmas Church Fair. Rita’s hands were never idle and she enjoyed ceramics, needlepoint crafts, counted cross stitch, puzzles, and gardening. In her senior years, she was very active at the Torigian Community Life Senior Center and was a member of their Walking Club. She went on many trips through the center, most notable were her travels to both Jerusalem and Italy. Rita was a passionate volunteer and devoted much of her time to the Inn-Between Shelter in Peabody assisting women and children in need. She will be remembered for her friendly and cheery disposition and perpetual smile, and dearly missed by all who knew her. She is survived by two daughters and a son, David April & his wife Elena of Broken Arrow, OK, Linda Cardile & her husband John of Middleton, and Renee Bruno & her husband John of Amesbury; six grandchildren, John, Michael, Christopher, and April Bruno, Steven and Paige Cardile, and one step-grandson Angelo Gonzalez; a brother Marcel Grenier of Rockville, CT; three sisters, Lillian Beaudoin of Burlington, VT, Pauline Bevins of Phoenix, AZ, and Priscilla Grenier of Albuquerque, NM, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death, besides her husband and parents, by a sister Doris Bechard and step-grandson Ricardo Gonzalez. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to gather on Saturday March 19, 2016 at 10 AM from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St., Peabody, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11 AM in St. John the Baptist Church, Peabody. A visitation will be held on Friday from 4 – 8 P.M. in the funeral home. Burial will be in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Peabody. Memorial donations may be made to the Inn-Between Shelter, 25 Holten St., Peabody, MA 01960.