Veronica Pioro

Veronica Zaorska Przekora Pioro, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, died peacefully March 22, 2024, with her cherished daughter and friend Diane at her side. She was 101 years old, and though she’d tell you she’d been old for decades, her sparkling spirit and the wit of a much younger woman persisted into her final days of life. Veronica was born January 13, 1923, in Parczew, Poland, where she lived until Germany invaded Poland in 1939. She was separated from her family and taken to Germany to do forced labor on a farm until World War II ended. One of 8 million displaced persons in Germany, she was given refuge in a camp in Augsburg where she met and married Jan Pioro and gave birth to daughter Diane (Danuta, 1947) and son John (Jan, 1949). In 1949 the family emigrated to America and settled in Richmond, VA, with help from Catholic Charities. There Veronica created a beautiful home and made a place for herself in the community. Smart and assertive, she advanced from factory work to a sales position in retail to bookkeeping. She moved to Pensacola in 1982 to be near family and worked in retail management until retirement. She helped found the Polish-American Heritage Society, which brought together Pensacola area residents with Eastern European ancestry and anyone interested in Polish culture and cuisine. Involved in charitable giving all her life, Veronica made her greatest impact on the community through her handmade creations, which she donated to friends, churches, and nonprofit organizations. Her handmade turtles, Christmas ornaments, and crocheted work can be found in hundreds of homes from the Midwest to the Gulf Coast. When she wasn’t creating or gardening, she was spending time with family or dancing up a storm with friends. Veronica spent her final year living with her daughter and son-in-law and loved attending Mass; watching FOX News, Acorn TV and Lawrence Welk, and visits with family. Veronica is survived by her daughter, Diane Mack (Ronald), granddaughters Maureen Mack (Kenneth West) and Jennifer Mack (Dustin Clarke, d. Aug. 2023), grandson Jason Pioro (Kristy), and great-grandchildren Duncan West, Annika West, MacKenzie West, Tyler Pioro, and Kaitlyn Pioro. She is also survived by her step-granddaughter Xylina Vogt-Murray, step-great-grandchildren Daniel Murray and Francesca Murray, and step-great-great-grandchildren Yanamai Ivy, Emerald, Olivea, and Veronica Murray. She was preceded in death by her son John and great-grandson Jason; in Poland by her mother Dominika Zaorska Bojko, father Jean-Marc, stepfather Wladyslaw Przekora, siblings Halina and Ryszard, and other family members; and many cherished friends in the U.S. and Poland. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered. Visitation will be at Faith Chapel Funeral Home on Thursday, April 4, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on Friday, April 5, at 1:00 p.m. Interment at Holy Cross Cemetery will follow.

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Veronica Pioro

January 13, 1923 - March 22, 2024