Rita Joan Wright

Rita Joan Wright, 80, of Putnam died at 6:45 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, at St. Margaret''s Hospital in Spring Valley. Born Nov. 24, 1933, in Camp Grove to Floyd and Mildred (Kennedy) Balensiefen, she married Sidney L. Wright May 25, 1955, in Tiskilwa. He survives. Also surviving are two daughters, Marcia (David) Wealer of Princeton and Christine (James) Bischler of Henry; five sons, Sheridan Wright of Granville, Sherman Wright of Putnam, Phillip (Julie) Wright of Lacon, Sidney Wade Wright of Henry and Mitch Wright of Putnam; 15 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; three brothers, Virgil Balensiefen of Princeton, Robert (Shirley) Balensiefen of Princeton and Thomas Balensiefen of North Fort Myers, Fla.; two sisters, Betty Fundell of Malden and Sally Donnelly of LaSalle; and an aunt, Celestine Kennedy of Peoria. She was preceded in death by her parents; two sisters, Judy Colyott and Sue Wright; and three brothers, Henry, Gene and Jerry Balensiefen. She was a 1951 graduate of Bradford High School. She was a homemaker. She was a member of St. John XXIII Catholic Church in Henry, TOPS and KOPS, and Betty Sue Catering in Henry. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at St. John XXIII Catholic Church, Henry, formerly St. Mary''s, with Father Thomas Mizeur officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Henry. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, at the Grant-Johnson Funeral Home, Princeton, and will also be one hour prior to services at Friday at the church. A rosary service will be at 3:30 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to: St. Jude''s Children Hospital and St. John XXIII Catholic Church in Henry. Pallbearers will be her grandchildren.