Peggy Louise Petrucci (83) passed away on Thursday April 14, 2016, with her family by her side. Her hasband Dino Petrucci, former Madera Unified School Board Trustee just passed 102 days prior. Peggy was born to Raymond and Opal Hayes in Cecil, Arkansas. She spent most of her childhood in Arkansas before moving to Madera in her teen years.
She graduated from Madera Union High School in 1950. Peggy married the love of her life, Dino, at the age of 18 in Las Vegas and for the next 4 years spent many weekends with him at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo during his time in college. They were married for 64 beautiful years.
Peggy supported Dino in all of his endeavors—she was always his biggest fan. When he moved to Victorville for an Agriculture Education teaching position shortly after college graduation, she followed. When he settled back in Madera as an Ag teacher with long days and weekends away, she supported.
While Dino farmed his family’s vineyards with his brother Enzo, she encouraged. When he retired from teaching and started Petrucci’s Catering, she reassured. Most of all, Peggy mothered. Her children and grandchildren were her proudest accomplishments and she truly exemplified what genuine, sincere, unconditional love really was.
Later in life, Peggy worked at the Madera Office of the Department of Motor Vehicles. She retired after 20 years of working to go back to what she enjoyed the most (and was the best at)—helping raise her grandchildren.
Peggy found joy in expressing her happiness through dancing. She loved good music and was never too shy during catering jobs to hang up her apron and join her friends, or maybe even people that she just met, on the dancefloor. She would jitterbug, jive, twist, and shout.
As she aged her passion for dancing remained, it was just her environment that changed—the dancefloor converted into her living room, the band became her television or grandchildren’s phone, and her dancing partner transitioned from her husband to her sister, children, or grandkids.
Peggy is preceded in passing by her husband, Dino. She is survived by her sister, Mary and Sam Moyers, daughter, Dina Petrucci and Norman Harbison, son, Vince Petrucci, granddaughter, Mika Petrucci, grandson, Lucca Petrucci, daughter-in-law, Dennise Petrucci, ranch foreman, Julio and wife Veronica Cabrera, and caregivers Lupi Ledesma and Hector Romo.
A Memorial will be held on Sunday, April 24 at 1:00 P.M. at 4th Street Church of God to celebrate Peggy’s life.
In lieu of flowers remembrances may be made to Hinds Hospice, 2490 W. Shaw Ave. #101, Fresno, CA 93711 or Madera Adult Day Care, 322 W. 6th St., Madera, CA 93637.
