Obituary for Patricia Kelly (McGowan)
Patricia Kelly of Dover, DE passed away October 8, 2020 after a courageous two and a half year battle with cancer. She is survived by her loving husband of 55 years, George; daughters Shannon Kelly of Durham, NC and Lee Anne Kelly (James) of Annapolis, MD; son Christopher Kelly (Shannon) of Baltimore, MD; grandchildren Elijah, Ava, and Andrew; and siblings Marion, Barbara (Tom), Kathy (Bill), Bob (Elisa), Ed (Emma), Jim (Diane), and Fran (Chris), as well as many nieces, nephews, and friends who all loved her dearly.
Pat was born in Philadelphia, the second oldest of 8 siblings, to Robert and Marion McGowan on April 14, 1944. She graduated from Archbishop Prendergast High School in 1962.
On May 8, 1965 she married George and went on to adopt daughters Shannon and then Lee Anne, later giving birth to Christopher. The family relocated from Philadelphia to Long Island, NY in 1978 and then to Glen Burnie, MD in 1982. Pat worked for several companies as an administrative assistant over the years, including CertainTeed, Signature Flight Support and Amdyne. Pat and George were avid travelers and enjoyed trips to Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean and cruises to exotic locales. They also took their children for many fun travels, especially to Disneyland and Hawaii. For many years, Pat hosted the extended family for a much beloved tradition of Fourth of July weekend around the pool with games, food and laughter -- many bright memories were made.
In 2005, Pat and George moved to the retirement community Wild Meadows in Dover, DE, where she made many good friends. Pat hosted a ladies’ card party on Wednesdays that was greatly enjoyed. In her retirement, Pat placed a priority on doing good work for others. She frequently visited homebound neighbors and spent many hours hand crafting stuffed animals for children in hospitals, as well as pillows for mastectomy patients and other gifts to make patients' experiences more comfortable.
Pat was a fierce and protective mother, never hesitating to fight for her children’s right to a good education and a fair chance at life. She adored her grandchildren and loved showing off photos of them. While Pat was known for her sweet and generous temperament, she also had a wicked sense of humor and could throw out a zinger with the best of them. She was known for her wise advice, thoughtfulness and generosity. Pat was always thinking of others and always made sure her loved ones knew how very much they were loved. Her husband, children, grandchildren and entire family love and will miss her eternally. We are all better people because of her and will always carry her memory and light in our hearts.
There will be a celebration of Pat’s life in coming months that family and friends will be invited to. In the meantime, in lieu of flowers the family asks that you consider making a donation to Delaware Hospice at https://www.delawarehospice.org/donate/ in appreciation of the wonderfully supportive care she received in her last days.
Pat was born in Philadelphia, the second oldest of 8 siblings, to Robert and Marion McGowan on April 14, 1944. She graduated from Archbishop Prendergast High School in 1962.
On May 8, 1965 she married George and went on to adopt daughters Shannon and then Lee Anne, later giving birth to Christopher. The family relocated from Philadelphia to Long Island, NY in 1978 and then to Glen Burnie, MD in 1982. Pat worked for several companies as an administrative assistant over the years, including CertainTeed, Signature Flight Support and Amdyne. Pat and George were avid travelers and enjoyed trips to Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean and cruises to exotic locales. They also took their children for many fun travels, especially to Disneyland and Hawaii. For many years, Pat hosted the extended family for a much beloved tradition of Fourth of July weekend around the pool with games, food and laughter -- many bright memories were made.
In 2005, Pat and George moved to the retirement community Wild Meadows in Dover, DE, where she made many good friends. Pat hosted a ladies’ card party on Wednesdays that was greatly enjoyed. In her retirement, Pat placed a priority on doing good work for others. She frequently visited homebound neighbors and spent many hours hand crafting stuffed animals for children in hospitals, as well as pillows for mastectomy patients and other gifts to make patients' experiences more comfortable.
Pat was a fierce and protective mother, never hesitating to fight for her children’s right to a good education and a fair chance at life. She adored her grandchildren and loved showing off photos of them. While Pat was known for her sweet and generous temperament, she also had a wicked sense of humor and could throw out a zinger with the best of them. She was known for her wise advice, thoughtfulness and generosity. Pat was always thinking of others and always made sure her loved ones knew how very much they were loved. Her husband, children, grandchildren and entire family love and will miss her eternally. We are all better people because of her and will always carry her memory and light in our hearts.
There will be a celebration of Pat’s life in coming months that family and friends will be invited to. In the meantime, in lieu of flowers the family asks that you consider making a donation to Delaware Hospice at https://www.delawarehospice.org/donate/ in appreciation of the wonderfully supportive care she received in her last days.