Mary Patricia Casey

Age 81 of Golden Valley, Minnesota. On May 7, 2018.A dedicated mother, passionate dancer and lover of the arts, Pat passed away peacefully after a long battle with dementia. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Frank Sr., children Michael (Shanthy Nambiar), Christopher (Christa), Frank (Amanda) and Robyn (Ted), grandchildren Lauren, Nicholas, Megan, Molly, McKenna, Clara and Teddy. She is preceded by parents William and Dorothy Maher and siblings Jack, Bill and Sharon.The third of four children, Pat was born in Kenmore, N.Y. to a father who worked as a civil engineer and mother who was a homemaker. She grew up in Bethesda, Maryland and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in Psychology with a minor in English from Seton Hill University, a small liberal arts college outside of Pittsburgh. She worked with troubled youth before meeting Frank at a TGIF in Cleveland that he and his friends started. The two would settle down in Chicago where Frank got a job working as a sales and product manager with Sylvania. True to her Catholic upbringing, Pat had four children in nearly five years and threw herself into motherhood. There wasn't anything that Pat wouldn't do for her children. She made their Halloween costumes, took them on adventures in neighborhood forests, introduced them to weekend music and arts classes and was always there to tape up a wounded knee or comfort them when a crisis hit. She was also an amazing cook, creating meals from scratch almost daily and becoming renowned for her lamb chops and pecan pie. The high point was Thanksgiving, when she would spend all day in the kitchen making turkey with stuffing, cranberry sauce, a table full of vegetable dishes and several pies.As the children got older, Pat would always be there to remind them of home. She sent them off to college with a hug and hand written recipes, hoping they wouldn't spend all that food money on beer. She was the one they called hundreds of times over the years, helping them cope with setbacks in school, new relationships, budding medical careers or a move overseas. And when things got tough, she welcomed them back home with open arms - until they could get on their feet again.Pat was also a pillar of strength for Frank. Together for more than 50 years, the couple set up homes in three states and she helped him run his sales firm for several years. They traveled, socialized with friends and spent weekends fishing and waterskiing aboard their boat Puff out on White Bear Lake and Lake Minnetonka. They also shared a passion for classical music - regularly attending the Minnesota Orchestra - and tending to the family dog Sparky, whom they built a custom-made dog house as well as casket when she died. The couple retired to Bradenton, Florida, where they watched great egrets and alligators from their porch, went to the beach and played golf. As Pat fell sick, the couple returned to Minnesota. They were rarely seen apart at Shoreview Senior Living. Frank was there to tend to her every need and record moments of levity, including dancing with fellow residents, showing off her favorite hats and smiling with her grandchildren. Frank was thankful the staff at Shoreview Senior Living, Interim Hospice and Symphony Home Care made her final months so comfortable.Please join us to celebrate Pat's life from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday May 10 at HOLCOMB-HENRY-BOOM-PURCELL, 515 Hwy 96 W., Shoreview. Mass will be held Friday at 1:30PM (visitation begins at 12:30PM) at The Basilica of Saint Mary, 1600 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. Interment will be at Lakewood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Alzheimer's Association.

Tributes

Mary Patricia Casey

February 12, 1937 - May 7, 2018

Tributes

Mary Patricia Casey

February 12, 1937 - May 7, 2018

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