- Date Of Birth: March 18, 1944
- Date Of Death: April 13, 2013
- State: Illinois
Patricia Marie (Rinaldi) Balconi, 69, of Peru, passed away April 13, 2013 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria. Her family was by her side as she went to be with the Lord.
Mrs. Balconi was born March 18, 1944 in Naplate to Joseph and Mary (Sipula) Rinaldi. She graduated from Ottawa High School and then earned her degree from Moser Secretarial School in Chicago. She married the love of her life, Arthur Balconi on June 17, 1967 in Naplate. Together they owned and operated Balconi’s Tavern in Oglesby until recently retiring on October 26, 2010.
Patricia will forever be remembered by her loving husband, Arthur; her three children who adored her, Robert (Jody) Balconi, Diane (Bradley) Harrison and Carol Balconi and her treasured grandchildren, Samantha, Adrian, Drake, Skyler and Tristan. Patricia loved being a member of St. Joseph’s Church in Peru, was a great and avid golfer and member at Edgewood Park Golf Course for 19 years and loved playing cards with family and friends. Most of all, she treasured her precious time with her family.
Patricia touched the lives of many people with her infectious smile and unconditional love to her family and countless friends. Of her accomplishments in life, Patricia’s greatest achievements have been in the lives of her family and friends as being an outstanding wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She had a unique gift to find only good qualities in others and make everyone feel loved she came in contact with. She had a beautiful, generous and non-judgemental heart that allowed her constantly to put others before herself. This was shown even by frequent conversations with total strangers. Patricia instilled in her children to “live life to its fullest and that God gave us all the gift of life, but what you do with that life is all that matters.” Her generous heart filled her home with family, friends, love and fun. This beautiful woman, inside and out, will be missed by everyone who knew her and her signature gift of selflessness will never be forgotten.
She was preceded in death by her beloved mother, father and brother, Joseph Rinaldi. Pallbearers will be her three children; son-in-law; grandson, Drake Bruhns and special friend, who’s like a daughter, Penny Derick.
