NATICK: Patricia Anne (Drain) Clisham, 87, passed away on Monday, May 21, 2018, at Whitney Place, from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease. She had lived there for 13 years.
Patricia was born on September 1, 1930, in New York to the late Joseph F. Drain Jr. and Helen Alicia (McDonald) Schlosser.
Patricia received her Bachelor’s Degree from Barnard College and went to work as a secretary at a law firm. She later joined the United States Navy. She married Roger R. Clisham, an attorney with what is now ExxonMobil, whose job gave them the privilege of living in Venezuela, Australia, and Singapore before they returned to New York. She earned her Master’s Degree in Library Science from the University of New South Wales in Australia, and worked as a reference librarian at Sydney University. During their stay in Singapore, she worked as a reference librarian at the American Embassy for the United States Information Service, and at the Singapore International School in its Integrated Studies program.
They retired to Southbury, CT, where they were both active in local politics and where Roger served as First Selectman. Patricia was an accomplished gardener, and held a Master Gardener certification from the UCONN Cooperative Extension Service. She was also a tireless volunteer and supporter at the Southbury Public Library, and served on the board of the Friends of the Southbury Public Library. She was an avid reader, loved crossword puzzles, and enjoyed the intellectual discussions she had with her friends in the “Lunch Bunch.”
Roger died in 1995.
She is survived her daughters, Elaine R. Clisham of Lambertville, NJ, and Susan (Clisham) Nesbitt and her husband Steven of Holliston. She had three grandchildren: Sarah (Nesbitt) Bergeron, William Nesbitt and Michael Nesbitt.
Patricia will be buried with her husband in Arlington National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in her memory to the Friends of the Southbury Public Library, 100 Poverty Rd., Southbury, CT 06488.