Zita McShane LeFevre

Zita was born in Budapest, Hungary. She passed away in the comfort and dignity of her home in Lakeway, TX in January after being cared for by her daughters Maureen and Kathleen and Enhabit Hospice Care.

Zita is survived by her daughters Laura (Christopher Pekoc), Kathleen (Randy Bolton), Maureen, Tess (Ethan Raup) and grandsons, Jonah and Owen Raup. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Jane McShane, niece Julie Moore (John), nephew Michael Bessenyey (Megan) their children, and her second husband Gerry’s extended family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Julius and Gisella Bessenyey, her younger brother Thomas, and her two loves—first husband, James G. McShane (1987) and Gerald H. LeFevre (2019).

Zita had a long and interesting life, which was not always easy—including living her earliest life through war and becoming a widow at 48. Her family endured World War II and escaped from communist Hungary, coming to America in the early 1950s, where she was often called a DP (displaced person). This affected her deeply. She worked hard to lose her accent and studied even harder—first becoming a chemist (Ursuline University), then earning her Masters (Cleveland State University) and PhD in English (Case Western Reserve University). She went on to teach hundreds of students English and technical writing at Case Western Reserve University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and finally retiring as a full professor at Frostburg State University.

After retiring, she moved to Austin, Texas and found love again with Gerry LeFevre. They had a handful of amazing years together and Zita was devastated when he died. In many ways, a part of her died with him. We hope she is reunited in some way with all those she loved and who passed before her.

A "Celebration of Life" and Internment will be held at Emmaus Catholic Church in Lakeway, Texas. A memorial and celebration of life will be held in Cleveland, Ohio in the summer. Showing kindness and good deeds to others is requested in her honor. Or, donations in her name can be made to Doctors without Borders, Frostburg State University English Department, or the American Library Association.