Maureen Polacci-Mech

Maureen Elizabeth Polacci-Mech, 50, passed away and went home to be with Jesus on October 10, 2023, at the Josie Harper Hospice House in Omaha, NE. Maureen was born in North Syracuse, NY, on January 8, 1973, and moved to California in 1997. 

Maureen is survived by her daughter, Laura Abbott, her son-in-law, Seth Abbott, grandsons Luca, Brighton, and Steele, her father, Donald Polacci Sr., her three brothers, Don Jr., Timothy, and Jason Polacci, her spouse, Kevin Mech, and many loving family members. She is preceded in death by her mother, Julia Polacci (Rose), her grandmother Evelyn Rose (Hobbs), her late husband, Michael Lemings, and her godfather, Andras Juhasz (Sharon). 

Maureen graduated with her Associate Degree in Nursing from St. Joseph’s College of Nursing in 1994, and with her BSN from the SUNY Health Science Center at Syracuse in 1997. She spent the last 20 years of her nursing career in the Cath Lab at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto, and most recently at Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria. She loved her patients and career and devoted her life to serving others. 

Maureen was a beloved mother, grandmother, and friend. As a follower of Jesus, her faith was a very important part of her life, especially while enduring numerous health issues. Maureen also loved to travel and spoil her dogs, though her biggest passion in life was trail running. During her life, she completed 100+ races ranging in distances from 3 miles to 48 miles. The trails gave her time to pray, think, make friends, and take in the Lord’s beauty. 

Maureen’s daughter would like to thank the members of the care team at Wilshire Hospice in San Luis Obispo, CA, for their support and care for Maureen and her family over the past few months. She would also like to extend her gratitude to the staff at The Josie Harper Hospice House and AseraCare Hospice, in Omaha, NE, for the loving care they gave Maureen in her last days.

A celebration of life will be held at New Life Church Community Center, 941 N Oak Park Blvd, Pismo Beach, CA, 93449 on Saturday, November 4th at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, any donations in Maureen’s honor may be made to Wilshire Hospice in San Luis Obispo, CA, the Josie Harper Hospice House in Omaha, NE, or to The Land Conservancy of SLO County, where she ran countless miles on the Pismo Preserve.