Rita (Thibodeau) Picard

Rita (Thibodeau) Picard, 92, of Berlin, widow of Ronald Picard, passed away on Saturday (January 7,2017) with her family at her side. She was born in Caribou, Maine and was daughter to the late Denis and Victoria (Chaloult) Thibodeau and her step-mother, Laura (Baron) Thibodeau. Rita met her beloved husband, Ronald, while working at Fafnir Bearing Company, and for many years, she was a devoted mother to her 4 children. In her later years, she worked in the Berlin School System and at Magson Uniforms until her retirement. She was a member of St. Paul's Church in Kensington. In addition to her loving late husband, Ronald, of 68 years, Rita was predeceased by a brother and five sisters; Leola Ouellette, Verlie Ouellette, Leonie Gagnon, Mary Baron, Shirley Zavalick and Thomas Thibodeau Sr. She is survived by her sister, Betty Petraniuk of New Britain, and will be dearly missed by her 3 sons and 2 daughters-in-law, Richard Picard and his partner, Gary Swanger of West Palm Beach, Florida, Kenneth and JoAnne Picard of Marlborough, Allen and Donna Picard of East Berlin; a daughter and son-in-law, Lori and James Carriere of Berlin. Rita had four grandchildren who called her "Memere": Wendy, Neil, Morgan, and Rebecca; and her two great grandchildren, Brianna and Teagan. The family of Rita would like to extend their gratitude to her caregiver, Jane from Companions and Homemakers, the Berlin VNA, the nurses and staff from Apple Rehab and Seasons Hospice, for providing care, as if she were their own. Funeral services will be held Thursday (January 12, 2017) at 9am from Porter's Funeral Home, 111 Chamberlain Highway, Berlin, with a Funeral Liturgy at 10am at St. Paul's Church. Entombment will follow in the Mausoleum in St. Mary Cemetery, New Britain. Friends and relatives are invited to call at the funeral home on Wednesday (January 11, 2017) from 5-8pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Alzheimer's Association Connecticut Chapter, 200 Executive Boulevard, Suite 4B, Southington, CT 06489, or a charity of your choice.