Mary Ann Pecci

Mary Ann Pecci Age 85, of Verona, formerly of Plum Borough, and born in Lawrenceville passed away on December 3, 2022. Mary was a devoted mother of three children, Rae (Tony), Bruce (Melissa) and Janine (Mark) Boksha and a cherished grandmother to Monica, Gabriella, Ethan, Mikhail, Alina, and Jenna. She was preceded in death by her mother, Helen Wroblewski, her father, Charles Wroblewski, and her brother Paul Wroblewski. Mary graduated at the top of her class at Schenley High School in 1955 where she enjoyed her business classes as well as swimming and refereeing basketball. After graduation, she worked for years as an executive assistant. In her free time, she learned Jiu-Jitsu and helped instruct others in self-defense. Mary was good enough that she nearly completed a throw on a would-be suitor who approached her at a night club. That didn't deter one brave bartender who continued to express interest in her, and she eventually married him to start a family. Mary stayed at home until their three children were school-aged and re-entered the workforce in a non-traditional role - surprising no one that knew her. She later divorced and raised her children largely on her own while also caring for aging parents. She worked tirelessly to provide her children opportunities she never had. She spent fifteen years as a sanitation worker for Plum Borough before retiring, and her physical labor and union benefits enabled three children to graduate from Robert Morris, Penn State and Princeton with degrees in business management, mechanical engineering, and aerospace engineering. Her children are eternally grateful for her sacrifices. Everyone who knew Mary would agree she was an independent, strong-willed, and tenacious woman who loved to talk about politics, law, and history. She loved a good debate - sometimes, even when you didn't. She ran a campaign to become the first woman on Plum Borough's Council and fell only thirty votes short of winning a seat. Years of physical labor and a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis greatly curtailed her activities, but she remained passionate about politics. Her children have the hundreds of hours of C-SPAN that she taped to prove it. As RA took an increasing toll on her body, she spent more time reading and watching television. Her son is blessed with memories of the two of them sharing laughs and time together while watching Love Connection. After nearly 30 years of battling RA, may her body finally rest in peace. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to either the Arthritis Foundation at arthritis.org or Family Hospice at FamilyHospicePA.org. Professional Services trusted to D'ALESSANDRO FUNERAL HOME & CREMATORY LTD., Lawrenceville. dalessandroltd.com

Mary Ann Pecci

November 4, 1937 - December 3, 2022