Priscilla LaBonville Walling's Obituary
Dr. Priscilla LaBonville Walling died on Wednesday, April 8, 2009 at Lee Memorial Hospital following a sudden stroke. She was sixty-three at the age of her death. Priscilla was a brilliant, strong woman with notable achievements in her career and incredible commitment to her church and charitable causes. She is deeply loved and missed by her family and friends.Priscilla was born on November 1, 1945 in Manchester, New Hampshire to Claire and Arthur LaBonville. She was the eldest of four children. The LaBonville family spoke French at home, proud of their French-Canadian heritage. Priscilla was a talented accordion player having been taught by the famous Donati Family of Hooksett, NH, for whom she eventually taught.Priscilla received her B.A. in chemistry from Mount St. Mary’s College in Hooksett, New Hampshire in 1967, her M.S. in 1969 and her Ph.D. in 1971 both in inorganic chemistry from University of Detroit in Detroit, Michigan, and her M.B.A. from Keller Graduate School of Management in Illinois in 1998. She was an active member of the Iota Sigma Pi Honor Society.Priscilla conducted the laboratory work for her doctorate at Argonne National Laboratory in Darien, Illinois where she met her husband, Dennis Walling. Dennis and Priscilla married on January 9, 1971.Priscilla worked for Helene Curtis, which later became Unilever Home and Personal Care, beginning in 1984 in the Research and Development division. When she retired in 2004, she was Director of Measurement Science.In 2004, after retiring, Priscilla moved to N. Fort Myers to care for her parents. She was the treasurer of the Council of Catholic Women at St. Therese Parish and was an active volunteer for the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Fort Myers. She was an avid golfer and tennis player and member of the Heron?s Glen Tennis Association. Throughout her life, she was dedicated to the Catholic Church and to raising money for breast cancer, an illness that she survived in 1993.Priscilla is survived by her husband Dennis Walling of FL; her sons, Matthew Walling and Kenneth Walling of IL; daughter Jennifer Walling of IL; parents Claire and Arthur LaBonville of FL; sister Helene (LaBonville) McIntosh of FL; brothers Arthur LaBonville and wife Carol of FL and Jean LaBonville and wife Sue of NH; Aunts Jeannette (Charest) Bergeron of NH, Cecile (Charest) Lessard and her husband Marcel of NH and FL, Marie (Charest) Vigneault and husband Ed of FL, Pauline (Charest) Wenzel and husband Herb of FL; nieces Lisa LaBonville of NY and Tara Adams of WI; nephews Art Stickney of ME, Corey LaBonville of TX, and Joey LaBonville; sister-in-law Julie Dieterle of WI; and brother-in-law Joseph Walling of WI.Services will take place on Monday, April 13 at 10AM at St. Therese Church in Fort Myers with a reception to follow at noon at the Ball Room in Heron’s Glen.Thank you to the Council of Catholic Women at St. Therese Parish and the Heron’s Glen Tennis Association for organizing the service and reception.In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in her honor, to the American Cancer Society, Lee County Unit, 4575 Via Royale Suite 110, Fort Myers, FL 33919.
What’s your fondest memory of Priscilla?
What’s a lesson you learned from Priscilla?
Share a story where Priscilla's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Priscilla you’ll never forget.
How did Priscilla make you smile?