Jean Pedrotti

Jean Pedrotti

In his mercy, God received Wilma Jean Pedrotti, 92, on September 28, 2021. Funeral services will be held at St. Jerome’s Catholic Church on Saturday, October 9, 2021, with a rosary starting at 10:30 a.m. and a funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m.

A graveside service will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 15, 2021, at Glen Haven Memorial Gardens in New Carlisle, OH.

Jean was born on April 17, 1929, in Kankakee, IL, to Owen and Waynie Sullivan. Jean grew up in Southern Illinois and was valedictorian of her high school class. She studied mathematics and science at Illinois State University where she met her future husband Leno Pedrotti and received a bachelor’s degree in 1950. She and Leno married on June 23, 1951, and moved to Ohio where they lived for 30 years and had eight children. After graduating from college, Jean taught high school math for a year before she and Leno began raising their children. For the next 40 years Jean dedicated her life to meeting the needs of her large family and caring for her and Leno’s aging parents in their home. In 1982 she and Leno moved to Waco, TX.

Jean is a member of St. Jerome Catholic Church where she was active in Bible studies and served as a Eucharistic minister at church and a local nursing home. In the last 30 years of her life, Jean began to experience what it was like to have a little free time. She became an avid birdwatcher and feeder, enjoyed designing and working in her flower gardens, and took up crossword puzzles and sudoku. In addition, she taught herself several languages, especially Italian, in order to visit and communicate with Leno’s many relatives in Italy. What marked her days most, though, was the way she prayed for and extended her listening ear of loving care to others as she served as “hub” and hostess for the steady flow of friends, children, grandchildren, great-grand children, and other extended family who would come to visit from near and far. It’s no wonder people came. They couldn’t help but comment about the deep, attractive, pervading peace in the home she made with Leno. Jean will always be remembered for her keen mind and wit, beauty inside and out, sacrificial love, dedication to prayer, and merciful, compassionate heart. Her love was fueled by the love of God in her. Jean was preceded in death by Leno on August 19, 2008.

Left to celebrate her life are her four sons—Daro Pedrotti of Houston, TX, Michael Pedrotti of Dayton, OH, Leno Pedrotti and wife Marjorie of New Lebanon, OH, and John Pedrotti and wife Sarah of Elm Mott Texas— and her four daughters —Sandra Pedrotti and Laura Ayala, both of Austin, TX, Catherine Doggett and husband Stephen of New Carlisle, OH, and Mary Christopher and husband Dale of Beavercreek, OH— along with her 16 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren, all of whom she cherished.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Caritas or a charity of choice would be welcome. Jean had a real heart for the poor and hurting.