Audrey Killgrove Pitruzzella

Audrey Killgrove Pitruzzella, 54, passed away June 28, 2007 in La Quinta, CA. Audrey died peacefully at home surrounded by her husband, Vince; sons, Michael and Marco; sister Nancy; and father Thomas. She was diagnosed with a rare and very lethal form of cancer in August 2005 and was given only a few months. She didn't give up, rather she embarked on a very courageous journey fighting the cancer and living life to the fullest. Although the cancer eventually killed her, she was not defeated. In her own final written words, she has "… lived a truly wonderful life and packed it full of wonderful memories ... I can remember all the laughs … all the hugs … all the inspiration I received. I can remember all the love." Audrey grew up mainly in Frazier Park, CA, and then went to college at the University of California at Davis, where she obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biology with Honors. It included a one year study at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She moved to Pomona, CA where she worked as a Research Lab Technician at the former Pacific State Hospital. While living in Pomona, she met her future husband, Vince. Although they grew up in different cultures on two different continents, Audrey and Vince discovered that they were truly soul mates. They married in Frazier Park and later moved to the Boston area, where she worked as Research Lab Technician at Boston University, until the arrival of their first son, Michael, followed later by their second son, Marco. She was very involved in her sons' school and social activities and lived happily in Massachusetts until Vince's job-related move back to California in the Bay area. She continued her involvement with school and social activities, and was a volunteer Art Docent teaching art at various schools in the Bay area. Audrey moved to La Quinta full time in the summer of 2001 and became a Band Booster for the La Quinta HS Marching Band, where son Mark (Marco) played drums. She was also an active participant in the local "Quilting for Good Times" and "Stitches for Kids" quilting clubs, happily making quilts for donations to various causes. She forged deep friendships with many of the people she met everywhere she lived. Audrey loved nature, taking long hikes on the trails of our mountains. She loved being outdoors and went boogie boarding on the ocean every chance she got. She even went parasailing, jumping off the cliffs at Torrey Pines. Audrey had just happily celebrated 31 years of marriage on June 12 with all her family, including Marco's wife, Brianna. Audrey was a wonderful and loving wife, mother, sister, daughter and friend. She always put family first. She will be missed, but she will always live on in our wonderful memories. A Celebration of her life will take place on July 22, 2007 at the La Quinta Senior Center.