Constance Stanley Pecoraro

Constance (“Conny”) Pecoraro, age 88, passed away peacefully in Fort Collins, Colorado on September 16, 2026, after a full and vibrant life in which she made a tremendous impact on her family, friends, and community. She will be dearly missed.

Conny was a Bay Area native who travelled the world. In the mid-fifties, she was one of the first AFS exchange students sent to France. That experience heightened her interest in other cultures and languages which she retained all her life. She studied at UC Berkeley and UCLA, worked as a commercial artist, and was about to serve as a Peace Corps volunteer in Peru, but chose to turn down that opportunity to marry a young Coast Guard officer, Dan Pecoraro, who lived downstairs from her in San Francisco. That proved a sound decision. Dan and Conny were happily married for over 40 years until his passing in 2004. They raised four children together in their home in San Bruno which was often filled with visiting friends and family from around the world.

She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother, devoted to providing her children with opportunities and broadening their horizons. While family was her main priority, she always continued to explore an eclectic range of interests including: Painting (Watercolors in a post-impressionistic style); Music (Early in their relationship, she conscripted Dan to help move an upright piano into her second floor apartment); Languages (Despite being a busy parent of four young children, she returned to school to finish her undergraduate degree in French at San Francisco State and then earned a teaching certificate after spending one year teaching French at Aragon High in San Mateo); Furniture and design (She and a friend created a successful antique restoration and resale business); Theatre (She was one of the founding members of Capuchino Community Theatre which staged full scale productions of Broadway classics throughout the 1980s); Community and global outreach (she founded an AFS chapter in San Bruno, bringing foreign students to live with local families, including her own, and making friends with whom she would remain in contact throughout her life); and Travel (Europe, South America, New Zealand, Australia, and nearly every US state).

An accident in 2007 altered the last chapter of her life. As a woman who had always reveled in her autonomy, it was challenging for her to rely on caregivers and wheelchairs. She especially missed being able to drive. She was able to find joy in those years and to give much joy to others. Her wit and sense of humor remained sharp, and her resilience was inspiring. The wonderful support of her caregivers, especially Val (Valenisia), Adi, and Rita, as well as Teu, Nikki, and Amanda, helped her thrive throughout those years.

Conny is survived by her four children (Ashley Griffin, Keith Pecoraro, Kevin Pecoraro, and Heather Wassarman), eight grandchildren (Antonia, Calder, Caroline, Charlotte, Hayden, Joaquin, Madilynn, and Manuela,), great-grandson (Rogelio), sister (Michele Bellamy) as well as extended family and friends from around the world.

A memorial service will be held Friday, October 16 in Palo Alto. Those planning to attend the service are asked to RSVP to Heather Wassarman via Facebook.

Conny loved helping her community. In lieu of flowers, consider making a donation to your favorite local charity.