Kira Bobrowicz Poccia, 56, of North Wales, died Sunday, December 16, 2018 from a two-year battle with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer. She was originally diagnosed with brain cancer in 1996. Having overcome this as a twenty-year survivor, she lived life to the fullest, with joy, grace, humor, happiness, and bravery along with her family and friends.
Kira was the beloved wife of Nicandro Poccia, her husband of 27 years, and mother to Maria Poccia, her 24-year-old daughter.
Born September 2, 1962 in Center City, Philadelphia, she was the daughter of Joseph and Yvonne Bobrowicz, of Philadelphia, PA.
In addition to her husband, daughter, and parents, Kira is survived by her sister, Shelley Darr and her husband Steven of New Jersey; her brother Mark Bobrowicz and his children Lila and Ziv Bobrowicz of Jerusalem, Israel; her mother-in-law, Angela Poccia of Lansdale, and her brother- and sister-in-law, Benedetto Jr. and Linda Poccia, and their son, Justin Poccia of Whitehall, PA.
She was preceded in death by her maternal grandparents, Karl and Evelyn Palmer, and her father in law Benedetto Poccia.
Kira was a true city girl. Growing up in the Fitler Square neighborhood of Philadelphia, Kira spent a lot of time hanging with her neighborhood friends around Center City. She also spent many weekends with her grandparents in Pottstown, PA and at the family farm in Quakertown, PA. During her late elementary and middle school summers, she attended Camp Arcadia for Girls in Casco, ME, where her sister, mother and grandmother went as well, and eventually where her daughter spent her summers. Additionally, Kira graduated from Linden Hall School for Girls in Lititz, PA where she met lifelong friends.
Living in Philadelphia in the 1970s and 80s, she loved disco music, dancing with her friends, and working in restaurants and hotels around the city. In 1988, she met her husband Nick at the Holiday Inn on City Line Avenue, who was visiting their mutual friend Chef Wade.
Both Kira and Nick were in the restaurant industry, so they spent their days off traveling and dining out. Shortly they became engaged on a jetty in Ocean City, NJ and were married on August 10, 1991. They then moved to North Wales, PA where they established their home and family.
Kira began working at Fresh Fields in 1993, and then gave birth to her daughter Maria in 1994. Kira loved being a mommy and raising her daughter. She was very imaginative and creative when coming up with ideas on how to entertain Maria, letting her create elaborate projects.
Kira started volunteering for the Wellness Community in Lansdale, PA, helping others that were affected by cancer. When the organization closed, she then volunteered her time at the Senior Center in Lansdale.
Kira loved food, especially since her husband is an executive chef. On his days off they would go to food shows as a family, and Kira became an expert sample collector.
Additionally, she loved spending time going to lunch with her neighbors, talking on the phone with her friends and family, hanging out with her cats while watching Judge Judy and HSN, going for walks around her neighborhood, and watering her husband’s very large garden.
Kira was an amazing mother, friend, sister, daughter, aunt, and wife. She was a genuine, loving, caring, thoughtful, funny, sharp, worried, go with the flow person. Even in the toughest of situations, she stayed calm, hopeful, and humorous.
Relatives and friends are welcome to attend the viewing on Saturday, December 22, 2018 at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church at 51 Lansdale Ave, Lansdale, PA 19446 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Mass will begin at 11 a.m., followed by the burial at St. John Neumann Cemetery at 3797 County Line Rd, Chalfont, PA 18914. Lunch will follow at Pine Crest Country Club located at 101 Country Club Dr, Lansdale, PA 19446. In addition, the family asks if guests could wear hoop earrings in honor of Kira, who was known for her big city hoops.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Kira Poccia Memorial Fund at https://www.gofundme.com/the-kira-poccia-memorial-fund. These funds will be used to help Kira’s family start a foundation to honor her blueprint on the world. Kira believed that everyone had the ability to leave a positive impact on the world and spark change, which she called “the blueprint”. The goal of the foundation is to raise awareness and help other families in the Philadelphia area through their brain cancer journey by providing them grants for medical equipment and additional help.
She was realistic about her cancer, saying “it is what it is” and that when she closed her eyes, she would be dancing on the roof tops, which is where she is today.