Edward Richard LaReau Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Age 88, of Reddick, IL, passed away Friday, July 1, 2011 at his home, following a long illness. Visitation was from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the R.W. Patterson Funeral Homes, Ltd., Braidwood Chapel on Wednesday, July 6th. The funeral mass was celebrated at St. Lawrence O’Toole Catholic Church in Essex, IL, where he was a member, at 11 a.m. on Thursday, July 7th, with Rev. Show Reddy Allam officiating. Dee DeGroh was the vocalist. Hazel Maguire was the organist. The pallbearers were Mark Lareau, Mike Eich, Brian Lareau, Dominic LaReau, Charles Capasso, and Don Curl. The honorary pallbearer was Daniel Capasso. A memorial mass was held in Beaverville, IL with burial in the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, IL. Mr. LaReau was born March 1, 1923 in Beaverville to the late Francis S. and Louise (nee Dionne) LaReau. He attended the Beaverville Academy and graduated from St. Anne High School. He was a WW II Veteran of the United States Army, having served in the U.S., England, France, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. He achieved the rank of 2nd Lieutenant and participated in the Normandy invasion. Ed started his lifelong career as a master mechanic during his pre-teen years in his brother Fabien’s garage in Beaverville, where he worked through high school. His mechanical abilities proved an asset during his time in the military, particularly during the months immediately following the Normandy invasion. Following the war, he worked for various family businesses in Reddick, then for A.O. Smith in Kankakee. In the 1950’s Ed moved on to U.S. Rubber in Joliet, then in 1958 to Amoco Chemicals, also in Joliet. At Amoco Chemicals, a division of Standard Oil, he hired in as a pump mechanic and quickly rose to the position of foreman, managing the tasks of a crew of up to 20 men. As a foreman, he still managed to get dirty; providing any assistance to his men to get the job at hand completed. Ed traveled to plants in Delaware, Minnesota and Missouri for Amoco to provide guidance to the maintenance personnel in those facilities during start-up production problems. After his retirement in 1984, Ed continued to provide support to his family and friends through his efforts, his vast mechanical knowledge and experience in all the building trades. He will be sorely missed by the 4 generations that benefited from his unconditional support and guidance. Ed’s leisure activities included visiting with family and friends, working crossword puzzles, and traveling to most areas of the U.S., Europe and Canada. Surviving were his wife, Marjorie Hunt LaReau, whom he married at the University of Wisconsin Chapel, on July 10th 1943. Also surviving were four sons, Michael (Sharon) of Coal City, IL, David of Reddick, Richard (Nancy) of Murphysboro, and Christopher of Urbana, IL; and two daughters, Edie LaReau of Odenton, Maryland and Sue (Gary) Eich of Reddick. He leaves behind eleven grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren. He was also survived by a sister, Jeanne Nourie of Reno, Nevada; and many nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his parents; brothers, Fabien, Marsile, Philip, Albert, and Paul; and sisters, Alma, Aline, Stella and Clair.

Edward Richard LaReau

March 1, 1923 - July 1, 2011

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