Largo, FL
Rita I. (Audette) DiLisio, 97, of Largo, Florida and a former resident of Salem, passed away peacefully at the Largo Medical Center following a brief illness. She was the devoted wife of the late Frank DiLisio with whom she had shared 51 years of marriage.
Born at home, as a ‘premie,’ she was the thirteenth child of Wilbrod and Arthemise (LaPorte) Audette. Rita began life, as a premie, kept warm in the family oven in order to save her. She developed into a young girl with a bright and loving smile and student of St. Joseph School. Prior to her marriage, she was employed by the Ideal Baby Shoe in Danvers. Following her marriage to Frank, she devoted all her love and energy to the care of her family. As her family progressed in their schooling, she began working part time for Poussard’s Pharmacy and later on for Vaillancourt Pharmacy.
Rita was a resident of Salem for most of her life. She walked everywhere throughout the city and always had a great smile for whomever she met. She loved music, playing the piano, and dancing. Her other passion was for Bingo, and in later years she volunteered at St. John the Baptist Church, Salem and the Swampscott Senior Center Beano. She was a longtime member of the former St. Joseph Parish. Rita moved to Largo, to be with her daughter and son-in-law, in 2012.
She is survived by her daughter, Lorraine M. Bigelow and her husband Edward T. of Largo, FL, her son, Frank DiLisio and his wife Janet of Weeki Wachee, FL, her grandson Jay DiLisio and his wife Amy and their son Ryan of Attleboro, MA, and Michael DiLisio and his wife Myra and their children, Jenn, Michael, and Sean of South Pasadena, CA. She also leaves many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews including five generations of Audette and DiLisio families, as well as the L’Heureux, Poussard and Bouchard families. She was greatly loved and will be missed by all.
Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the Levesque Funeral Home, 163 Lafayette St. [Route 114 / 1-A] Salem on Saturday, February 1, 2020 at 10:00 A.M. to be followed by her Mass of Christian Burial in Ste. Anne Church, 290 Jefferson Ave., Salem at 11:00 A.M. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Cemetery, Salem. Visiting hours, at the funeral Home will be on Friday Jan. 31st from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial contribution to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. For guestbook and additional information, please visit www.LevesqueFuneral.com