Richard Lee LeGrand, 83, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 30 with his loving family by his side.
Richard is survived by his children, John (Mary) LeGrand and Teresa (Peter) Adams; grandchildren, Joseph (Susan) LeGrand, Robert LeGrand and Thomas (girlfriend Emily Smith) LeGrand, Steven Lanier, Jennifer Lanier, Michelle Lanier and Christopher Raymond; neighbors and good friends, Gary and Kathie Kahovec.
Richard was expecting his first great-grandchild from Tommy and Emily in September.
Preceded in death by his wife, Kay LeGrand (nee Riggs) (1991); parents, John and Coletta (nee Strack) LeGrand; brothers, Adrian, Bill, Cleo and Jim LeGrand; and sister, Alberta Marquardt.
Richard was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri and was the youngest of six children. He graduated with a B.S. Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy. He was a veteran of the United States Army. Richard began his career at U.S. Gypsum in Kansas City, Missouri and continued his career at National Gypsum in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He was then transferred to Waukegan, Illinois where he was subsequently hired as plant manager for Ivex Paper Mill in Joliet. Richard was a longtime parishioner of St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Plainfield. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus. Richard was an avid fisherman and enjoyed many trips to Canada with his friends. One of his biggest joys was being able to help people, from volunteering at St. Joseph Medical center to lending a helping hand fixing household items and visiting his elderly friends at home or in the nursing home. He loved spending time with all of his grandchildren and completely fulfilled one of his wife’s most important requests to “take care of her grandbabies.”
In lieu of flowers, donations in Richard’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Cancer Society would be appreciated.
A celebration of Richard’s life was May 5 with prayers in the funeral home chapel then a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Plainfield. Interment at St. Mary Cemetery in Plainfield. Obituary and Tribute Wall for Richard Lee LeGrand at www.tezakfuneralhome.com or for information, 815-722-0524.