Rita Darlene Diffenauer's Obituary
Rita Darlene (Kinkade-Scharder) Diffenauer, age 79, of Energy, IL passed away on April 5, 2024 and entered her Eternal home. Rita was born March 27, 1945 to Etta Mae Kinkade. Raised in Olney, IL by the only father she knew Russell and mother Etta Mae (Kinkade) Scharder. On May 30, 1963 she married Robert J. Diffenauer at St. Teresa's Church in Marydale, IL. To this union were born three sons, Robert Michael Diffenauer, Christopher Todd Diffenauer and Russell John Diffenauer; and one daughter Robyn Lyn (Diffenauer) Wilson. Rita was a 1963 graduate of Carlyle High School. She had been employed at Pinckneyville Garment Factory, Hook's Drug Store and Herrin Security Bank as a bookkeeper. She was a member of the Second Baptist Church in West Frankfort, IL. Along with her husband Bob in 2006 Rita had a life-changing mission trip to South Africa going into the bush in Mozambique sharing God's Word. At church she had worked alongside her husband teaching the 1st and 2nd Grade Sunday School Class then moving on to teach the Homemaker's Class with women she truly loved and admired. Rita dearly loved the LORD, her family and church family. She loved Southern Gospel Music and was an avid fan of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Survivors include her husband Bob of 60 years; a daughter Robyn Lyn (Grant) Wilson of West Frankfort, IL; four grandchildren, Robert Joseph Diffenauer of Walker, MI, Rachel Elizabeth (Travis) Lark of Hudsonville, MI, Daphne Christine (Tylar) Pribble of Herrin, IL, and Darlene Marie (Lincoln) Johnson of Rockford, IL; one daughter-in-law Deborah Diffenauer of Hudsonville, MI; four great-granddaughters Eliza Jane Pribble of Herrin, IL, Josie Lyn and Hazel Rae Johnson of Rockford, IL and Terra Maelynn Lark of Hudsonville, MI; two sisters Retha Smith of Energy, IL and Rebecca Stevenson of Nashville, TN; several sisters-in-law and husbands, Ruth Ann (Norbert) Albers of Beckemeyer, IL, Doug Nordike of Blowling Green, KY, Rosemary (Jim) Potts of Smith Grove, KY, Rita Jones of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, and brother-in-law, Ronnie Diffenauer of Tucson, AZ. She left behind many nieces and nephews, her Kinkade cousins and cousin, Carol Anderson.
Rita was preceded in death by her three sons Robert Michael, Christopher Todd, and Russell John; her parents Etta Mae Schrader-Pampe and Russell John Schrader; her in-laws Harold and Dorothy Diffenauer, sister-in-law Rebecca Diffenauer and Roxanne Nordike, brothers-in-law Bruce Jones, Charles Smith and Steve Stevenson.
A funeral service will be held at Second Baptist Church, West Frankfort, IL on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at 12:00 p.m., with Dr. Brett Beasley officiating. Interment will be in St. Bruno's Cemetery, Pinckneyville, IL, where she will rest beside her sons at her home away from home.
Visitation will be held at Second Baptist Church on Tuesday from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m.
Memorials may be made to the Second Baptist Church, West Frankfort, IL in care of MOP, Mission on Purpose, to be used for continued mission trips or to Hospice of Southern Illinois.
Pyatt Funeral Home, Pinckneyville, IL has been entrusted with the arrangements.
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