Leila Wasiesky

Leila Mae “Lee” Wasiesky, 95, of Millcreek Township, Erie, PA passed away Thursday, August 4, 2016. She lived a long, full, loving, caring, happy and healthy life. She is now at home with the Lord, her loving husband Steve, and family and friends that have passed before her. She was born March 1, 1921 in Lynch, PA., a daughter of the late Charles S. Pierce and Letti Porter Pierce. She grew up in Sheffield and graduated from Sheffield High School in 1939. Her first job was cleaning houses and ironing for families and in room service for the Shaw Boarding House in Sheffield.

She was a shirt tail trimmer at the Kane Shirt Factory and then took up welding during World War II. She received a National Youth Admin. “Certificate of War Production Training”. She worked as a welder at American Bridge, Ambridge, PA. She also worked as a welder at Struthers and Wells Corporation and Sylvania Corporation, both in Warren, PA. She also worked making zippers at Talon Corporation in Erie, PA. While in Erie she met and married, Steve N. Wasiesky in 1945, and became a homemaker, raising three children.

She loved cooking, baking, playing the piano and organ, bird watching, making matching clothes for herself and her two daughters, hair styling, cross stitching, reading, and gardening in her flower rock garden.

She was a member of St’s Peter & Paul’s Byzantine Catholic Church. For several years she and her husband Steve helped with cleaning of the church.

Besides her parents and Steve, her husband of 55 years, she was preceded in death by her 10 siblings: Susie Pierce, Lee Pierce, Florence Anabelle (Pierce) Greeley, (Daisy) Isabelle Pierce (Dumars), (William) Virgil Pierce, Dale Leroy Pierce, Verneta (Joni) Valgine Pierce, Mildred Irene (Pierce) Troutman, (Ruby) Ilean (Pierce) Eckert, and Dorothy Marie (Pierce) Melquist.

She is survived by her three children, Leila Darlene Bartlett (James) of North East, PA, Sandra Marie Kitts (Douglas) of North East, PA, and Steve Theodore Wasiesky of Erie, PA, five grandchildren, Mark Bartlett (Jenn), Scott Bartlett (Lisa Rovnak), Joe Kitts (Suzanne), Mike Kitts (Nikki), Daniel Kitts (Calla Savoia), and 7 great grandchildren, Caleb and Ezekiel Bartlett, Logan and Natalie Kitts, and Breckon and Maryn Kitts, Vince Village, and several nieces and nephews.

Family and friends are invited to call at the Burton Westlake Funeral Home, 3801 West 26th Street (at Powell Ave.) on Wednesday, August 10th from 2-4 and 6-8pm, including a Parastas Service at 3:45 . A prayer service will be held there Thursday at 9:00am followed by the Funeral Divine Liturgy at St's. Peter and Paul’s Byzantine Catholic Church, 3415 Wallace St. Erie, PA 16504 at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at Laurel Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers the family is asking anyone that wishes to donate to any of the following in her memory. Asbury Woods Partnership 4105 Asbury Road Erie, PA 16506, St’s Peter & Paul’s Byzantine Catholic Church, Shriners Hospital of Erie 1645 West 8 Street, Erie PA 16505 , or Regional Home Health & Hospice of Erie 2564 Village Common Drive Erie, PA 16506.