Obituary of Ralph Pecora

Ralph George Pecora Ralph George Pecora, born February 16, 1929, passed away Thursday, February 9, 2012 at his home in Erie, PA. In 1948, Ralph joined the U.S. Air Force as a Staff Sergeant based at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, NM. He graduated from Tri-State University with his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1957 after working many jobs to pay for his education. That same year he went to work for GTE of Pennsylvania where he retired in 1983 as Head of Outside Plant Engineering and Construction Operations. During that time, he earned his Professional Engineering License (1967) and a Masters Degree from Penn State Behrend. Ralph wrote a book on Engineering Economics and helped in writing the National Electrical Code 1977 Edition. After retirement, he became a professor of math and engineering at Penn State Behrend, Alliance College, and Gannon University. Ralph had a talent for woodworking which he shared with many. He was forever devoted to his family and always generous with his time and talents. He enjoyed being around people and sharing his endless stories to make them laugh. He will be missed by the many people whose lives he touched. He was preceded in death by his parents, Nicholas and Margaret Herbert Pecora, and his siblings, Eugene Pecora and Jay McElhinny. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Shirley McKee Pecora; daughters: Patricia Severance of Natick, MA, Janet Baird and her husband, Scott, of Andover, MA, Kathleen States and her husband, Jeff, of Erie, PA; his sisters, June Elliott, of Delaware, OH and Nellie Meinhardt, of Mankato, MN; eight grandchildren: Megan Baird, Curtis Severance, Alexa Baird, Ryan Severance, Sophie Baird, Michaela States, Greyson Baird, and Emma States, and many nieces and nephews. Friends may call at the Dusckas-Martin Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 4216 Sterrettania Rd. on Sunday from 1:00 p.m. until the time of the funeral service there at 3:00 p.m. conducted by the Rev. James Moelk. Private interment. Enhance your memorial with a slideshow and video