…former teacher; 92
TEWKSBURY - Mrs. Patricia A. (McCool) Stokowski, formerly of Tewksbury, died peacefully in her sleep on November 14, 2017, at the Newton-Wellesley Center for Alzheimer’s Care in Wellesley, MA. She was the beloved wife of 48 years of Robert J. Stokowski, who died in 2002. Born in Boston, MA, on December 7, 1924, Patricia was one of three children of Mary Ellen "Helen" Flaherty and Patrick McCool who emigrated from Clonmany, Ireland. The McCool family lived in Hyde Park, MA, and Patricia always talked about her happy memories of growing up there: playing school when she was a child-she was always the teacher, walking with her parents along her father’s beat as he was a Boston policemen, and visiting her large extended family in Valley Falls and Diamond Hill, RI, and Great Barrington, MA. She had to develop a strong will and a sense of independence at age 7 when her father died unexpectedly.
Patricia earned her business and accounting degree from Salem State Teacher’s College. She later worked as a teacher in Fairhaven, VT, and Saugus High School, Lowell Commercial College, and St. Louis Academy, the latter for 13 years. When her children became interested, she and her husband established and led several Tewksbury 4-H clubs in sewing, and woodworking, and along with her sister Joan, who led a gardening club, became active in Middlesex County 4-H programs. For many years, they spent their vacation time at the 4-H Fairgrounds in Westford, MA, contributing to the successful operation of that fair.
Beyond her teaching positions, Patricia later held executive secretarial positions at BTU, Honeywell, and Honeywell Bull, in Billerica, MA, making long-lasting friends, some of whom she and Bob visited on their many post-retirement travel excursions in the U.S. and internationally. They especially loved to work on family genealogy, and were delighted to discover and meet many “new” cousins in County Donegal, Ireland – an expanding network of cousins who stay in touch to this day. They enjoyed multiple trips to Ireland, and visits to England, Switzerland, France, and Poland as well. Beyond these experiences, Patricia most enjoyed the time she spent with her children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Patricia was a communicant of Holy Trinity Polish Catholic Church in Lowell for over 50 years. She was predeceased in death by her husband in 2002, and by three children: Joan Elizabeth in 1961, Robert Jerome, Jr. in 1975, and Mark Edward in 2016. She is survived by her children, Patricia of Burlington, VT, and Elizabeth and her husband Paul Dubrawski of Abington; her grandchildren, Abby and Adam Dubrawski, Mark and Eric Stokowski, and her great-grandchild, River Stokowski. She is also survived by her sister, Joan A. McCool, of Tewksbury, and by many cousins and relatives in the U.S. and Ireland. She was predeceased in death by her brother, Edward in 2015.
Visiting hours Friday, Nov. 17, from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. in the Tewksbury Funeral Home, corner of 1 Dewey and 975 Main Sts. (Rte. 38) TEWKSBURY CENTER, Ph. (800 in MA or 978) 851 2950. Patricia’s Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, Nov. 18, at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Trinity Polish Church, 340 High St., Lowell, MA, with burial to follow in Tewksbury Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Robert J. Stokowski 4-H Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Middlesex County 4-H Fair, Inc., P.O. Box 352, Westford, MA 01886, will be appreciated. tewksburyfuneralhome.com