Obituary of Rebecca R. Pirocchi

Becky Pirocchi was born on July 29, 1953, at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland. Her father, the late Robert Hugh Rea, served with the Marines in Korea and after his discharge worked for the government. Her mother, Louise Zandanel Rea, raised Becky and three younger siblings — Robert, Richard, and Cynthia — in Arlington, Virginia.

Becky attended Yorktown High School and the University of Virginia, where she was part of the second class of women admitted to the college. She graduated in 1975 with a degree in French Linguistics. It was soon after graduation, while living in France for a summer, that she encountered Jesus in a way that convinced her of his love and caused her to put her full trust in his sacrifice on the cross to save her from sin.

She worked a series of administrative jobs and met her future husband, Jesse, at Arlington Memorial Church. After dating for a time in the late 1970s, they separated, he to Hawaii and she to Belgium where she was a missionary to French-speaking students at the Belgian Bible Institute. After her return to Virginia, she and Jesse reconnected and were married in 1985. Together they raised Alyssa Joy (age 34), Matthew Rea (age 33), and Justin Grant (age 26).

Becky loved to help plants and people grow. She manifested this love in her gardening and her teaching. Constant tending kept her home’s landscape beautiful. She taught her own children at home, young children in Sunday school, immigrants through conversational English classes, students at Christian schools, and students needing help through her small business, Old Oak Tutoring. She was a skilled and enthusiastic teacher, driven by a sincere love for her students and an intense desire to see them learn and thrive.

She was also an encourager and helper to many — the “go-to” person for child and pet sitting — who would also drop everything to be there for friends in need. Her smile, positive energy, humor, and love will be sorely missed.

Becky loved teaching elementary-aged children. In lieu of flowers, would you please consider a donation toward the current project to enhance Chantilly Bible Church’s children’s wing? Designate your gift by cash, check (made to Chantilly Bible Church), or online (chantillybible.org) to “Children’s Wing.”

Watch the live-stream at live.chantillybible.org or (later) the recording at video.chantillybible.org