Pamela M Lacerte

Pamela Lacerte of Alpine, Calif., died Dec. 21, 2020, at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla. She was 64.
Pam was born July 11, 1956, in Manchester, N.H., her parents, Onil and Georgette Lacerte, later embarking on a cross-country move to San Diego.
As a grade-school student, Pam was beset by high fevers and convulsions that ultimately led her to the more comfortable surroundings of home schooling and counseling sessions, where she created a unique life all her own.
She loved music and kept a 45-record player in her room, spinning all the current hits to entertain herself, her nephews and niece. She enjoyed the company of her “Funny” Grandma Alice Bernier, her sisters, Sherry and Gloria, and mother at the fine dining of Newberry cafeteria lunches in Mission Valley.
At home, Pam enjoyed her space and her routines, doing laundry, cleaning the house with numerous paper towels, taking extended showers that depleted the home’s hot water supply routinely.
She would speak up unfiltered whenever the occasion called for it – no one was spared. But she mostly enjoyed laughter and offered compliments at the ready.
By 1982, Pam was enrolled in a Grossmont Hospital program to assist her development and the stars aligned as she met the man who would become the love of her life, military veteran Anthony Pepi.
They had a shared interest in so many things, driving to various locations across San Diego County in Anthony’s yellow Mustang, with Anthony allowing Pam to follow the Lacerte females’ tradition of “shop till you drop” and then grabbing a bite to eat together, to chat and confirm what we came to know by seeing the pair of them as proof: There is someone for everyone.
Upon the deaths of her mother and father, Pam was taken in by brother Neal and then sister Gloria, with Sherry providing steady support.
She ultimately gained the independence to reside at care homes, basking in the attention of her beloved birthdays and Christmas while maintaining her tradition of mailing out birthday cards to each of us with at least $1 inside. If $1 netted her back a $25 Target gift card on her birthday, she understood what a shrewd investment it was!
To her survivors – boyfriend Anthony, sister Sherry Pugmire and her husband Jerry Pugmire, sister Gloria Reich, brother Onil Lacerte Jr., nephews Lance Pugmire, Barney Davis, Jason Pugmire, Quinten Davis, Tyler Pugmire, Nathan Pugmire and nieces Jodi Jaskiw, Savanna Davis and Katie Lange – Pam was an inspiration to each of us.
Because when we confronted adversity and challenges that sometimes seemed too daunting, we could reflect on what Pam endured to create her own special life. And then we’d know: Nothing is insurmountable.
Pamela will be remembered at a 10 a.m. Jan. 19 service at St. Martins de Tours Catholic Church in La Mesa, followed by a reception to be announced at the service.
In addition to flowers, donations can be made in the name of Pamela Lacerte to Social Advocates for Youth (SAY) San Diego, Attn: Development, 4775 Viewridge Ave., San Diego, CA., 92123, Tax ID: 23-7107958.