Dr. Lucia Pagniello

Dr. Lucia Pagniello, 90, of Meadville, experienced her final sunset quietly on Saturday, March 04, 2006 at her residence in the presence of friends.  She had been a Crawford County resident since 1944.  Dr. Pagniello was an allergy specialist and also practiced obstetrics and gynecology.  She was a well-loved and respected physician for 40 years, retiring in 1985.

She was born October 17, 1915 in Brooklyn, NY, a daughter of the late Anna Wrabely, an Austrian-Hungarian émigré and Egidio Pagniello, an Italian émigré.  She was raised by Harold and Anna Porter.

Dr. Pagniello attended the Berkley Carroll School in Brooklyn, a private school from which she graduated in the class of 1934 with honors.  She graduated with honors from Wellesley College, Wellesley, Mass. in 1938 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology.  She graduated from the Long Island College of Medicine, which is now apart of the SUNY System.  She completed a surgical residency at the Long Island College of Medicine Hospital.

In 1944 she moved to Meadville and joined the practice of Dr. King.  Shortly thereafter he died and she continued the practice.  She retained her practice in the same building until she retired in 1985.

She was a member of the Crawford County Medical Assn., PA Medical Assn., and American Medical Assn.  She was also affiliated with the PA Allergy Assn. and the American Allergy Assn.  She was on the medical staff of the former Spencer and City Hospitals and the Meadville Medical Center.

Dr. Pagniello enjoyed traveling and had traveled extensively throughout the world to such places as Chile, Thailand, Central America, Australia, Singapore, India, Katmandu, Kenya, and Egypt.  Her favorite places remained Africa, which she visited 11 times, every time seeing less wild game for photo shoots, and China, which she visited 9 times.

As a child growing up in Brooklyn, she traveled to Europe by boat several times.  When she was a high school student, she was accompanied by her French teacher, spending summers in France studying the language and culture.

Dr. Pagniello donated to many charities in the area.  She donated money to establish the Dr. Lucia Pagniello Literary Garden at the Meadville Public Library.  Other favorite charities included the Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center and the Sawmill Center for the Arts at Cooksburg, PA.  This is close to Cook’s Forest where she took woodcarving and burning classes for the last 15 years.  She was primarily a songbird carver.  She had taken 40 courses from the internationally known carver, Rosalyn Daisey.

She loved wildlife and daily fed the birds.  Recently, she had a bear on her property and wanted to feed it also.

Survivors include a brother, Ted Pagniello of Bellmore, NY; 2 nephews, Robert Pagniello of Georgia and Christopher Pagniello of New York; a great-niece, Christine; and a great-nephew, Robbie.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her surrogate parents, Harold and Anna Porter; and a faithful companion, Marie Walsh.

She will be laid to rest in Greendale Cemetery “to eternally look at the Rhododendrons and watch the squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits play.”  A memorial service will be held at the convenience of her friends and caregivers who faithfully and conscientiously cared for her through her final years.

Memorials may be made to the Sawmill Center for the Arts, P.O. Box 180, Cooksburg, PA 16217 or the Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, Inc., 21601 Stull Rd., Saegertown, PA 16433.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, 581 Chestnut St., Meadville, PA 16335.