Cecelia H. (Yurasha) Pechie, 79, of 25 Walsh Ave., a longtime maintenance worker and at one time, a standout athlete, died yesterday in the home of a daughter here after an illness. Her husband, Albert Pechie, died in 1982. She leaves a son, James A. Pechie of Auburn; two daughters, Paula A. Pechie of Auburn and Susan J. Kubacki of Cumberland, R.I.; three sisters, Agnes Dilloway of Grosse Pointe, Mich., Helen Goodnow and Natalie LaPlante, both of Auburn; seven grandchildren; a great-grandson; nephews and nieces. A daughter, Christine Barch of Worcester, died in 1992.

    She was born in Auburn, daughter of Joseph and Agnes (Starkus) Yurasha. She graduated from Auburn High School, where she was a standout athlete, especially in basketball. Mrs. Pechie was a maintenance worker at the Chamber of Commerce building in Worcester for more than 30 years, retiring in 1982. She was a member of St. Joseph's Church and was elected to ! the Auburn High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.

    The funeral will be tomorrow from Britton-Wallace Funeral Home, 91 Central St., with a Mass at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph's Church, 189 Oxford St. Burial will be in Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton. Calling hours are 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Central Massachusetts, 120 Thomas St., Worcester, Ma 01608