Aurelia Pora, 90, passed away on Tuesday January 12, 2021 with family by her side. She was
born to Acsente Toma and Aurelia Dragucian Toma on October 28,1930 in Martin’s Ferry, Ohio.
She is the beloved mother to Lynn Rizo (Ted), John Pora, Margeret Yoways and Traian Acsente
Matthew Pora and a proud grandmother to Dennis (Sandy) Rizo, T. J. Rizo, Michael (Amanda)
Rizo, and Matthew J. Pora, great grandchildren Michael and Jonathan. She was preceded in
death by her parents and her youngest son Traian. She is survived by her sisters Mary Eliesiu,
Anna Chevalier and many beloved cousins and extended family.
She was an amazing woman. As a young child, before WWII, she and her family traveled
between Romania and the US many times. As a teenager, she was named Miss Romania,
twice, for her parish, Descent of the Holy Ghost Romanian Orthodox Church in Gary, Indiana.
She traveled with the USO during the Korean War. She worked her way through college at US
Steel in Gary, Indiana, and received her teaching degree from Indiana University. As a young
mother she completed her Masters degree in Special Education, and retired from her careers in
the City Colleges in Chicago and the Chicago Public Schools as a Special Education teacher.
In addition to being a teacher, she raised her four children, teaching them the importance of
hard work and the true value of love, faith and family.
She was a strong and independent woman, who was never shy about sharing her opinion,
pulling you in for an extra hug, or grabbing a second dessert after a big family dinner.
Her love and compassion will forever be missed by those who knew her and loved her. May her
memory be eternal.
Services will be held at Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, Scottsdale, AZ on January 18,
2021 at 10:45 a.m. MST, and will be streamed live on their facebook page. Interment will be held at Phoenix Memorial Park, Phoenix, AZ following the service.
Aurelia was passionate in supporting our combat veterans. In lieu of flowers, the family is
requesting that donations be made to the Disabled American Veterans Association (DAV) in her
memory.