June 18, 2015

Joseph C. Pesce, 91, of Kennett Square, died June 14 in Sidney, Ohio.

His parents were Joseph Pesce and Adelaide Brondo; born in the Liguria Province of Italy, both moved to the US in the early part of the twentieth century, settling along the Brandywine River in the Wilmington, Delaware area.

Joseph lived in Kennett Square throughout most of his life. He attended St. Patrick’s Catholic School and graduated from Kennett High School in 1941. In August 2013, he moved to Sidney, Ohio with his wife Edith, whom he married in 1947.

Joseph is survived by his wife Edith, his three children:  Robert J. Pesce, of Tampa, Fla., Dolores Pesce Wiley, of St. Louis, Missouri and her husband Bill, and Joseph M. Pesce of Chadds Ford, and his wife Diane; six grandchildren: Jennifer Pesce, Christina Pesce, Robert Pesce Jr., Nicole Pesce Fragale, Lisa Pesce, and Helen Julitta Pesce Wiley; and his sister Frances P. Lovisa of Merritt Island, Florida.

Joseph honorably served in the U.S. Army from July 1944 through June 1946, including 15-and-a-half months in the European Theater, where he was awarded four campaign medals. As a heavy mortar crewman, he was an ammunition handler, gunner, squad leader, and section sergeant in charge of two squads, responsible for their safety and conduct. When he began his military service, Joseph had completed three-and-a-half years of his college education at Villanova University; after his return from the war, he completed his Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering. Joseph worked for NVF Company in Yorklyn, Delaware and Kennett Square, for 42; his positions included technical manager and manager of process control.

Joseph was a lifetime member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church of Kennett Square, the Kennett Fire Company, and the Italian-American Citizens League.  He also belonged to the Kennett Square Lions Club, the American Legion, the VFW, and the Kennett Square Golf and Country Club.

A private graveside service will be held at St. Patrick’s Cemetery.

In memory of Joseph, a contribution may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, 111 S. Independence Mall East, Suite 411, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Online condolences may be made by visiting www.griecocares.com

Arrangements by the Kuzo & Grieco Funeral Home, Kennett Square, PA.

Dorothy C. Fischer (nee Weatherly), of West Chester, died peacefully on June 12, at Wellington Terrace Nursing Home, where she had resided for the last two years.

Dorothy and her late husband, Norman, had previously lived in Downingtown.

She is survived by her sons, Bill (Maureen) and Jim (Dawn); her five granddaughters, Aimee Johnsonbaugh (Dennis), Kerry Eden (Patrick), Ashleigh Forwood (Jimmy), Casey Smith (Eric) and Abbie Fischer; and four great-grandchildren, Natalie Forwood, Nicholas Forwood, Brayden Smith and Ryan Eden. She is also survived by extended family whom we affectionately refer to as “The Pittsburghites” – the place where she and Norman grew up and started their family.

Dorothy enjoyed family and friends and, for many years, spent summers at their home in Ocean City, N.J.

She was a loving mother and grandmother to all and has many “adopted” grandchildren with whom she was always anxious to hear about and visit with. She had many more than those listed about who referred to her affectionately as “Mom-Mom.”