Patricia Gavagan

Patricia A. Gavagan, 86, died Saturday, November 1, 2014.  She is survived by two nephews, a niece, and many friends.  Now free from MS, she can walk, run and dance for joy! Here is a brief look at her amazing and inspiring life. She graduated from Visitation High School on Chicago’s South Side in 1946 and Mundelein College with a B.S. in biology in 1950.  September 1950 saw her joining the Dominican Sisters in Sinsinawa, WI.  From there she began a teaching career in high school science, teaching in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Alabama. After earning a Master’s degree in biology at Marquette Univ. in Milwaukee she taught biology and chemistry for 12 years at the Univ. of Wyoming in Cheyenne, keeping in contact with many of these students through the years. After a year at Rosary College in River Forest, IL teaching biology labs she returned to Univ. of Wyoming in Laramie as a PhD candidate, but as she put it “I turned into a PhD dropout and a Dominican dropout as well.”  So for some adventure she spent a summer as a cook at a chalet in Glacier Park followed by becoming a Peace Corps volunteer on the island of St. Kitts teaching science, during which time she was diagnosed with MS.  After returning to Laramie, she got hooked on computers.  Then at age 55, began a new career, coming to Battle Creek as a computer intern at the Federal Center, retiring in 2000. She was proud of her Irish heritage, loved corned beef, good coffee, chocolate shakes, cheering for the White Sox, and doing ancestry research.  In her later years she lived in assisted living and nursing homes, but kept up with her students, sisters, friends and family through her computer, rarely missing an opportunity to send an e-card to mark almost any occasion.  Pat was a brave and courageous woman and we will all miss her bright smile, many kindnesses and great sense of humor. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated 11:00 a.m. Monday, November 10, 2014 at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Private interment will be in Mount Carmel Cemetery, Hillside, Illinois. Arrangements by the Richard A. Henry Funeral Home. www.henryfuneralhome.org

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