Leona Lorraine Pecsi

Leona was born in Mountain View, CA, to Joseph O. and G. Anne (Alexander) Dorr. She spent her formative years on a homestead near Pinto Valley in the Mojave Desert and Pedley, Riverside County. She loved the outdoors, camping, rock climbing and reading. Her favorite books were Little Women, The Greatest Story Ever Told and Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan adventure novels.

She enlisted in the U.S. Marines in 1951 and was stationed at Camp Pendleton where she met Joseph E. Pecsi and married on July 19, 1952. They settled in South Bend, Ind., and started their family with the births of Joseph L. Pecsi (Marcia) and Valentine E. Pecsi (predeceased). They moved to Fullerton, CA, in 1955 and had two daughters, Elizabeth A. Pecsi-Guerrero (Michael) and Mary E. Pecsi (predeceased).

Fullerton was home for Joe and Leona for a blessed 61 years. She volunteered for a range of leadership and service opportunities at St. Philips Benizi Church and School in Fullerton. She worked as a retail grocery clerk, led girl scouts, assisted at a children’s daycare, and celebrated every nephew’s and niece’s birthday with a card and pack of sugarless gum.

After Joe’s passing in 2015, she relocated to Grossmont Gardens in La Mesa, closer to daughter Beth and family.

She sewed, knitted, crocheted and embroidered lifelong. Her collection of hand-knitted afghans, scarves and ribbon yarn shawls graced family, friends and acquaintances. In later years, she fashioned tote bags and personalized each one with machine-embroidered appliques and lettering.

The third child of eight, Leona is survived by siblings Jerry, Richard and Lana (Dorr) Stewart. Her brothers Ralph and Lawrence and sister Charlotte predeceased her.

Beloved wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother of Tamara M. Pecsi and Michelle L. Guerrero, sister, aunt and friend, Leona made an impact on many people.

“Leona is stronger than nails and sweeter than candy,” a long-time friend remarked when describing Leona’s constitution, prayer life and devotion to Mary, mother of Jesus Christ. In her later years, as her speech grew limited to the effects of aphasia, Leona’s favorite greeting coming and going to everyone was, “God Bless You.”

May her spirit live on in one and all.

The family will have a Celebration of Life Mass at Our Lady of Grace Church, El Cajon, in 2023. The following day, there will be a private burial ceremony at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Orange, CA. In lieu of flowers, please donate to The Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), one of Leona's favorites.