Rita Ann Cichon

Rita Ann Cichon, age 90, of Beloit, WI passed away peacefully on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, surrounded by loved ones, at Autumn Lakes.   She was born on May 9, 1933, to Henry and Mary (Uinska) Klimasz in Chicago, IL. Rita grew up in Chicago, where she went to St Joseph’s High School, class of 1951. She married Walter S. Cichon on September 24, 1960, in Chicago. They were married for 63 years, and they were inseparable.  Rita worked as a CNA for Northwest Community Hospital Continuing Care Center in Arlington Heights, IL, where she was very dedicated and passionate about taking care of the elderly during the night shift. She also worked at St Joseph’s Home in Palatine, IL as a seamstress, and was an excellent sewer for the residents- making suits and hemming all different clothing.

Rita was known for her love of polka music, singing, and bingo playing with her husband Wally and mother-in-law Angie. She enjoyed traveling to many places with her sisters, including Rome and Rio Rancho, NM. She traveled to Las Vegas with her close sister Loretta and brother-in-law Bruno. Rita was a loving, supportive mother to both Wayne and Sharon, as well as second mother to Nancy, who she adored. She was outgoing and brought positive energy everywhere she went. She enjoyed time with her nieces and nephews in Delavan, WI. Her pride and joy was her only granddaughter, Kate, who she cared for on many weekends, which made her happy and fulfilled her life. Rita was a strong, practicing Catholic. She and Wally went to Catholic Mass at St Theresa in Palatine. She was also a member of OLA in Beloit.

She is survived by her husband, Walter S. Cichon; her son Wayne (Nancy) Cichon; her daughter, Sharon (David Johnson) Cichon; her granddaughter Kate (boyfriend Wyatt Thomas) Myszewski; her sisters, Loretta Rybczyk and Margaret Sloan; her sisters-in-law Wanda Klimasz and Ruth Klimasz; and brothers-in-law Nick Kuriga and Ed Sloan and many other family, friends, and neighbors.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters Sr. Mary Roseanne, Therese Kuriga, Eleonore Bozek; brothers Alfred, Edward, and Henry Klimasz; brothers-in-law, Edwin Bozek, Bruno Rybczyk; and sister-in-law Alice Klimasz.

The family would like to thank the staff at Beloit Regional Hospice for the care they gave Rita. They would also like to thank Tori from Bright Star and her daughter-in-law Nancy, RN for her dedication to being the primary caregiver at home.

Rita’s Mass of Catholic Burial will be 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 25, 2023, at Our Lady of the Assumptions Catholic Church, 2222 Shopiere Road, Beloit, WI, with Fr. Jim Murphy officiating. Friends will be received on Saturday in Church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service.  Interment to follow the Mass in Mt. Tabor Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Autmn Lakes (Horizon and Genesis- dementia unit) in Beloit, WI. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared on our website.

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