Stella O. (Leszek) Deater

Stella O. Leszek Deater, 65, of Kevin Drive, Meadville, died on May 4, 2010 from complications resulting from a four-year battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease).  She passed away at the Crawford County Care Center where she had resided since April 2, 2010.

The daughter of Mary L. (Smolinski) Leszek and the late Adam P. Leszek, Stella was born in Meadville on March 15, 1945.  She married W. Frederick Deater on January 28, 1966.

In addition to her mother and husband, Stella is survived by her three children:  Tonya Hasenkopf, her husband, Brian and their sons, Elliott and Spencer of Meadville; Larisa Ramich, her husband, Craig and their children, Chloe and Aidan of Fairfax, VA; and Christian Deater of Tampa, FL.  She is also survived by her brother, Frank Leszek and his wife Jessie of Saegertown.  Other family members include several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Stella was a 1963 graduate of Saegertown High School where she was a member of the National Honor Society and received the DAR Good Citizen award .  She attended Spencer Hospital School of Nursing and graduated from the California College of Respiratory Therapy.   She was a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT).

Stella was employed for thirty years at Spencer Hospital and Meadville Medical Center where she was manager of the Respiratory Therapy Department.  In March 2003 she transferred to the Mind Body Wellness Center as Director of Clinical Services.  Her personal dedication to fitness and whole person care along with a passion and commitment to excellence influenced the delivery of the Empower program, Breathing Easy, Heart to Heart, Health Working, smoking cessation and Got the Syndrome program.  She also organized a station for “bullying” during an annual elementary school hospital program at Meadville Medical Center’s Grove Street facility.  Stella’s relentless efforts to improve the quality of life for Crawford County will not be forgotten.  She leaves an indelible contribution from which we all benefit.

Since 1993, she held various leadership roles as a volunteer for the Meadville Medical Center Foundation.  In 2006, she was the General Chairperson of the Foundation’s Annual Fund which raised $250,000 for the benefit of the hospital’s Radiology Department.

Stella’s disability forced her retirement on February 28, 2007.

During their younger years Fred and Stella spent each annual vacation touring the country from the Maine coast to the Rocky Mountains on their Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Stella also loved hot summer afternoons on their boat on Conneaut Lake and long rides in her red convertible.  She was an outdoor person who enjoyed planting and watching things grow.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, 581 Chestnut Street, Meadville.  An additional calling hour will begin at 10:00 a.m. Friday with the funeral at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home with her son-in-law, Brian Hasenkopf, leading the service.

The family wishes to thank all those who lovingly touched our lives and cared for Stella throughout her illness: her primary caregiver and friend Kelly Welker, Zhanna Karell, Tracy Brenot, Glen Mariacher, Drs. Ken and Ron Unice, Meadville Ambulance, Meadville Medical Center, Hospice of Crawford County and the Crawford County Care Center.  We are so grateful for the love shown to Stella and her family.

Rest in eternal peace, Mom, your suffering is over.  You will be so sadly missed and will be forever in our hearts.  We love you.

To honor Stella please consider making donations to Hospice of Crawford County, 464 Pine Street or the Crawford County Humane Society, 11012 Kennedy Hill Road both of Meadville, PA 16335.