Joan Catherine Rillo

Joan C. Rillo, 83, of Bloomington passed away Thursday, February 15th at the Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospice House. She was born December 16, 1934 in Paterson, NJ, the only child of Robert and Catherine Daly Hawthorne. Joan enjoyed her childhood in West Paterson, NJ, where she lived and went to elementary school, followed by 4 years at Passaic Valley High School in Little Falls, NJ, where she was active in a variety of sports and other activities. Further schooling was at Montclair State Teachers College (now Montclair State University) where she majored in biological sciences and graduated with a BA in the sciences in 1956. While teaching at Wayne Township, NJ for three years she pursued graduate school classes and earned an MA in 1959. During college and beyond, five summers were spent working at the New Jersey State School of Conservation in Stokes State Forest. She married Thomas J. Rillo of Summit, NJ in July of 1957 and is survived by husband, Thomas, her three children and two grandchildren; Thomas (Dee) Rillo of Bloomington and grandson Nick of Portland, OR; Kevin (Julie) Rillo and granddaughter Kayla of Lake Zurich, Illinois and Kathy Rillo (Tim Gooldy) of Bloomington. She loved and enjoyed her family. For most of her life Joan managed the household while pursuing outdoor garden projects, travel, and jogging was her favorite exercise. Knitting, sewing, and reading were continual lifelong pleasures. She preferred outdoors to indoors and nature to housework. Joan also was employed by Indiana University and worked in the Grants Division. She was a Benedictine oblate of Saint Meinrad Archabbey in southern Indiana and a parishioner at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Bloomington. Joan and her husband were the first coordinators of Cursillo and planned uertreyas for the parishioners who were Bloomington cursillistas. Joan was deeply loved and made a lasting impact on many family members and friends. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church on Monday February 19, 2018 at 1:00PM with Fr. Michael Keucher presiding. Visitation will also be held at the church on Monday from 11:00AM until the time of the Mass at 1:00PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in honor of Joan Rillo to Saint Meinrad Archdiocese School of Theology, Saint Meinrad Archabbey in St. Meinrad, IN (saintmeinrad.org) or Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org) Allen Funeral Home and Crematory 4155 is handling the arrangements and online condolences, photos, and memories may be shared with family and friends at www.allencares.com.

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Joan Catherine Rillo

December 16, 1934 - February 15, 2018