Rita Vaillancourt Reagan, of Farmington, CT, passed away on August 29, 2016 after living a full and beautiful life with her husband Jack (John) Reagan. She was born on January 28, 1929 to Antione Vaillancourt and Fernande Gaudette Vaillancourt, and spent a happy childhood living with her extended family, singing around the piano and chasing after her older siblings Marie Vaillancourt Wierbicki and Joseph Vaillancourt. She was a strong and independent woman and believed in a solid foundation of family and education. She came from a very large family and had a firm belief that family came first and was extraordinarily proud of her six grand daughters. Her greatest legacy may be the passing on of this characteristic to her children, who in turn raised their children to be strong in their convictions, strong in their work ethic, and strong in their love for their family.
After graduating from Saint Josephs College in 1951, Rita was a second grade teacher until she started her own family. A communicant of St. Peter Claver and St. Marks the Evangelist church for a number of years. She taught CCD in both parishes.
Her son, John Blake Reagan predeceased Rita. She is survived by her loving husband of 64 years John F. Reagan, daughter, Jean Reagan Vibberts and her children Kristen and Michelle of West Hartford, daughter in law Susan Gumbrecht Reagan her children Melanie and Casey of West Hartford; son James P. Reagan of West Hartford, daughter Kathleen Reagan Papstein her husband Steven Papstein of Wilton CT and their children Kelsey and Madalyn.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Peter Claver R.C. Church, 47 Pleasant Street in West Hartford, CT on Friday Sept. 2 at 10 am. Burial will follow Mass in Fairview Cemetery, Whitman Ave, West Hartford, CT. Friends may call on Thursday, September 1 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Sheehan-Hilborn-Breen Funeral Home, 1084 New Britain Avenue, West Hartford.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the American Heart Association at American heart.org or the American Cancer Association at cancer.org. For online condolences please visit: www.SheehanHilbornBreen.com