The Youngstown State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics is pleased to announce the Concetta “Butchy” Pecchia Scholarship to enhance the YSU Athletics Scholarship Endowment Fund.
This scholarship was established by Vince Pecchia in honor of his mother, Concetta. The Pecchia family has had more than 15 family members graduate from Youngstown State University. Their mother, Concetta, affectionately known as “Butchy” was born on July 19, 1934. She passed away on May 11, 2012, at 78 years old. “Butchy” was adored by all her children, family and friends.
She raised seven children on the East side of Youngstown from 1960-80. She was “old school” and worked hard every day to keep the home intact and the kids fed. She worked as a receptionist at Immaculate Conception Parish for nearly 40 years. Even more astonishing than maintaining a household of nine people, she never complained.
“Butchy” loved baseball. She listened to the Cleveland Indians while doing chores and then continued to watch the Tribe in her later years. She enjoyed scrambling around town to watch her children and many grandchildren participate in football, basketball, baseball and soccer.
Her son Vince Pecchia said: "Our mother was an example to all of us on how to live “heaven on earth”. She taught all of her children to put others first and to be charitable. The Pecchia family would like to pay tribute to our mom by creating the Concetta “Butchy” Pecchia Scholarship endowment to help future student-athletes attending YSU.”
The family wishes to honor her legacy by establishing this scholarship for a member of the YSU football team from the Mahoning Valley with a grade-point average of 3.00 or higher. This student-athlete will honor her memory with hard work along with upholding outstanding character on and off the field of competition.
Paul McFadden, President of the YSU Foundation, said Pecchia raised an outstanding family to go along with an incredible work ethic.
“Butchy was someone who took great pride in working hard and making sure her family was taken care of,” McFadden said. “She was a big baseball fan and always found the time to be in attendance at so many events that had a family tie. What a great person to have a scholarship endowment named after here at YSU.”
For more information, or to endow an athletic scholarship at Youngstown State University, contact Kate Johnson at the YSU Foundation at (330) 941-3211 or kjohnson@ysufoundation.org
