Pamella Jeanne Grossi

Pamella J. Grossi

1956 – 2018

Pamella was a wise old soul who died February 19, 2018 still young at heart.  She had two great loves, art and family/friends.  She was a rare bird, an incredibly strong and intelligent woman, who was smart enough to know how to follow her creative instincts.  Her art came naturally. Pamella created art by allowing shapes and objects to move her hand(s) into aesthetic expression.  She lived her life artistically, with integrity and style.  She was also known as one who spoke her honest truth.  Pamella loved the feel and shapes of stones and collected old tools.  Recently she had been on the hunt for rusted cans, lids, broken pieces of glass and metal which she incorporated into canvas art.  She loved cooking, holidays, her animal companions and surrounded herself with beautiful objects.  She enjoyed the Tea Room restaurant with the gals and gave unselfishly to all her family and friends.

Born on February 20, 1956 in White Plains, NY, Pamella followed her childhood cowboy dream to live in the Southwest.  She landed in Albuquerque, NM in 1985 and shortly met her soul mate of thirty two years.  They shared the same deep held values, love for life, beauty and art and the joy of raising their son.  Most of all, they adored and respected each other.  Pamella graduated from Kansas City Art Institute and Rhode Island School of Design.  She worked on restoring colonial homes in New England, was a curator at the Albuquerque Museum, coordinated fund raising for the Arthritis Foundation, restored her adobe home near Old Town, taught fifth grade at Our Lady of Assumption and Prince of Peace schools, tutored children with special needs in reading and math and was a ceramic potter, painter, photographer and multi-media folk artist.

Pamella is survived by her husband, Thomas F. McKenna; and son, Lorenzo F. McKenna; twin sister, Joanne Kliss, (David Kliss); niece and nephews, Andrea Kliss (Andrew Helms), Philip Scheer, Aaron Kliss; and grand-nephew, Jack Allen Helms.   In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to her favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, stjude.org.  A Celebration of her Life with family and friends will be at her home.  Pamella’s ashes will be placed in the St. Joseph Patio Alcove at Gate of Heaven Cemetery with her spirit sailing off to reunite with her parents, Evelyn and Joseph Grossi; sister, Patricia Scheer; nephew, Allen Kliss; and her dearest friend, Karen Gibbs.