Alice Gervase LaPlante
Of Arlington Heights

Alice Gervase LaPlante was born on December 19, 1931 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Francis and Mary (nee Tighe) O'Neill. She died Thursday, May 31, 2012 in Arlington Heights.

Alice was a beautiful and gifted musician, wife, mother, and teacher. Always a giver, Alice met her husband, Bill, while both were teaching in the Philadelphia inner-city schools, and shared her musical gifts with St. Edna’s Catholic Church, where for decades she never missed a Sunday playing the organ for Mass. Alice loved Bach, birdwatching, and chocolate, and even in the latest stages of Alzheimer’s would smile at bad jokes. Beloved by all who knew her for her kindness, warmth, and compassion, Alice will be greatly missed.

She was the church organist at St. Francis de Salles in Philadelphia and the church organist and music director at St. Edna Catholic Church in Arlington Heights from 1970 until 2009. She was an ESL instructor and music tutor at Harper College from 1985 to 1995, and a special education teacher in Philadelphia from 1956 to 1958.

Alice is survived by her spouse of 55 years, William Albert LaPlante whom she married February 2, 1957 in Philadelphia; her 8 children, Mary LaPlante, Alice LaPlante, Elizabeth (Joseph Hanafee) LaPlante,Clare, (Joseph Clary) LaPlante, William (Joanne Hogan) LaPlante, Catherine LaPlante, Francis (Marie) LaPlante, and Lynn (Michael) Allaway; and her 13 grandchildren, Claire and Caroline LaPlante, James and Mary Catherine Hanafee, Henry and William Klauke, Sarah Seidner, Martin Clary, Karis LaPlante, and Aidan, Sophie Alice, August and Lucy Allaway.

She was preceded in death by her siblings, Francis O'Neill and Mary O'Connor; and by her parents.

Visitation from until 3;00 to 9:00 PM, Monday, June 4, 2012 at Glueckert Funeral Home Ltd., 1520 N. Arlington Heights Rd. (4 blocks south of Palatine Rd.), Arlington Heights, and from 9:00 am until the time of Funeral Mass at 10:00 am., Tuesday, June 5, 2012, at St. Edna Catholic Church, 2525 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60004 . Interment is at St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery in Palatine.

Memorials contributions may be given to Catholic Charities, 721 N. LaSalle St., Chicago, IL 60654 (312) 948-6087 or Chestnut Hill College, 9601 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19118 (215) 248-7001.

Glueckert Funeral Home