Rita Alice Mathieu LeFebvre's Obituary
Born Rita Alice Branconnier on October 23rd, 1940, in Rhode Island at the Lying-In Hospital. Ritzi, as she liked to be called, was the first-born daughter to Cecile Brunet Branconnier and Lawrence Branconnier. She grew up in Woonsocket with her siblings Lawrence Jr., Claudette and Paulette (twins), and the baby, Beverly. She was a papergirl, later worked in one of the factories, and then after obtaining her Office Certification, as a secretary. She loved music and Elvis, and she could twist with the best of them! She married early to dark and handsome Richard (Matt) Leo Mathieu. Together they launched a painting business, R&M Painting, and brought six beautiful babies into the World, and into a home they had built in the then upcoming Diamond Hill neighborhood. Addiction would be Ritzi and Matt’s downfall at a time well before it was understood. AA did save mom! She went on to live 50 years of sobriety very proudly, during that time she chose to share her insights and strengths aiding many others struggling with addiction. Unfortunately, her Elvis look-alike husband, Matt, did pass way too early, in 1977, and was dearly missed. She was also a BIG fan of all her “brilliant” grand and great-grand-children! Mom was BOLD, hugged like a bear, wanted to live wholeheartedly, to experience many things, and to Live and Let Live! Most of all, and in the end, Mom would say that her six children, Cindy, Debbie, Troy, Deena, Reid, and Erik, were all very special, and the most important things to her in this whole wide world! She was a life-long believer in Christ and surely has been welcomed into Heaven by God, many friends and family, including Matt, her mother Cecile, her grand-mother Oriana, her sister Claudette, her brother Lawrence, and her 2 sons, Troy Mitchell Mathieu, and Erik Scott Mathieu. Shake, Rattle, and Roll Ritzi!
The family would like to extend our extreme thanks and gratitude to all the folks at Sunny Hills Assisted Living Facility in sunny Homestead, FLA! Your residents have been mom’s pals and your staff, mom’s thoughtful caretakers for many years now…she enjoyed you all and was blessed to have you! God Bless and be well!
Our Mother will be memorialized at a future date, and in Rhode Island. She will return to Rhode Island to again be among us, her loving family.
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