Distinguished Alumnus John Piecoro Passes Away
On April 3, 2019, Dr. John Piecoro, PharmD ended his battle with cancer. Piecoro was a pioneer in pediatric pharmacy and was associated with the University of Kentucky (UK) pharmacy program for over 35 years. He started clinical pharmacy services in pediatrics here at UK. The success of the UK pediatric pharmacy program and the program, in general, was advanced by his early efforts. He served as Associate Director of Pharmacy for over 10 years and also held a faculty appointment in the UK College of Pharmacy. Piecoro served the University well in other areas, including UK Central Administration and UK Athletics.
In 2016, Piecoro was named a UK College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumni. As Professor Emeritus of the College of Pharmacy, he was recognized for his dedication to pediatric clinical pharmacy and his contributions to research in the areas of antibiotics for pediatric infections, intravenous nutrition formulae for infants, and medical-surgical supplies and devices.
Piecoro was transported back to UK HealthCare from Arizona shortly before his passing. He told his good friend and colleague, Dr. Robert Kuhn, that he felt like he was truly home. This was a great comfort to Piecoro and his family. Piecoro would have been especially proud of the top-notch care he received by a terrific team here at UK during his final week.
Piecoro was preceded in death by his parents John and Lola Piecoro, brother Stephen Piecoro, nephew Gregory Fester, and grandson Joshua Piecoro. He is survived by his wife of 59 years Mary (Sue) Piecoro (Popovich); sister Virginia (Ginger) Piecoro, four children Jeff Piecoro, Mark Piecoro, Lance (Dava) Piecoro, and Sheila (Moses) Naedele; seven grandchildren Nicholas Piecoro, Adam Piecoro, Olivia Piecoro, Anna Piecoro, Alisandra Piecoro, Vincent (Aidan) Piecoro, and Susannah Piecoro; nieces Dena Hare (Popovich), Lisa Popovich, Mindy DuBois (Fester); and nephews Victor Popovich and Eric Fester. Piecoro's son Lance is a graduate of UK College of Pharmacy and completed a fellowship with Dr. Tom Foster.
Piecoro was an avid sports fan and loved baseball, he played catcher and was a letterman while at Ohio State and coached the "dog gone" Cubs of Southeastern Little League to the Lexington Little League City Champions. His greatest pride was the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren and the numerous Pharmacy students and residents that he mentored and was a role model to over the years.
A Mass will be held on Monday, April 9, 2019, at 10 AM at Christ the King Cathedral, 299 Colony BLVD, Lexington, KY 40502, a reception will immediately follow with burial at 1:30 at Calvary Cemetery in Lexington, KY.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Ken Anderson Alliance, 11260 Chester Road, Suite 530, Cincinnati, OH 45246 and the Greater KY and Southern IN Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, Kaden Tower, 100 Dutchmans Lane, Suite 401, Louisville, KY 40205.
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We wish to remember and honor those who inhabited this Commonwealth before the arrival of the Europeans. Briefly occupying these lands were the Osage, Wyndott tribe, and Miami peoples. The Adena and Hopewell peoples, who are recognized by the naming of the time period in which they resided here, were here more permanently. Some of their mounds remain in the Lexington area, including at UK’s Adena Park.
In more recent years, the Cherokee occupied southeast Kentucky, the Yuchi southwest Kentucky, the Chickasaw extreme western Kentucky and the Shawnee central Kentucky including what is now the city of Lexington. The Shawnee left when colonization pushed through the Appalachian Mountains. Lower Shawnee Town ceremonial grounds are still visible in Greenup County.
We honor the first inhabitants who were here, respect their culture, and acknowledge the presence of their descendants who are here today in all walks of life including fellow pharmacists and healthcare professionals.