Maria LeMense

Maria “Riet” LeMense (nee Gatzen), 91, of Belleville, IL, born on February 6, 1934, in Tilburg, Netherlands, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at Memorial Hospital in Shiloh, IL.

Riet enjoyed listening to audio books in her free time once her Macular Degeneration had progressed. Cooking was something that filled Riet with joy, it was also something she was fantastic at. Her children fondly remember meals that they called a “Riet Concoction”. No one ever quite knew what she was making, but it would be delicious, nonetheless. She enjoyed St. Louis Cardinals baseball games and playing bingo, slot machines, and poker.

Riet is preceded in death by her parents, Constantinus and Gerardina Gatzen (nee de Rooij); her beloved husband, Lloyd LeMense; one brother, Loek Gatzen; and one grandson, Randy Hoff.

Left to cherish Riet’s memory are her children, Julie Hoff of IL, Sandra (Jeff) Weber of IL, Kathy (Ed) Hill of CO, Ronald (Toni) Gatzen of CO; one sister, Toos Meijnen of NL; one brother, Harry Gatzen of NL; seven grandchildren, Sean, Ryan, Andrea, Danielle, Zachary, Nikolas, Noah; and eight great-grandchildren, Jackson, Colton, Max, Enzo, Paxton, Weston, Kenna, and John.

Memorials may be made in Riet’s honor to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, https://www.macular.org/want-to-help/donate. Condolences may be extended to the family online at www.schildknechtfh.com.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, December 14, 2025, from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at Charter Senior Living of Shiloh; 1201 Hartman Lane, Belleville, IL 62221.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Schildknecht Funeral Home.