Patricia McKiernan Walter, longtime resident of Mattapoisett, passed away peacefully in her home on February 20, 2021. She was the loving wife of 56 years to the late Robert Walter and wonderful mother of Brad and Laura Walter and grandson, Christopher of Dover, Chris Walter of Foxboro and Dale and Tracy Walter of Jaffrey NH. Born in Brunswick, New Jersey on February 28, 1932, she was the daughter of Robert and Marie McKiernan and was predeceased by her three brothers, Bob, Dick and Dave. She also leaves behind several nieces and nephews.
Pat grew up in Somerville New Jersey and graduated from the Hartridge School in Plainfield. She went on to graduate from the Fletcher School of Nursing at the University of Vermont. She spent her nursing career in several Boston hospitals as well as the Visiting Nurses Association. She enjoyed all the city had to offer and made several life-long friends along the way. Boston is where Pat met Bob- they hit it off and were married in 1961. They moved out to Wayland to start a family and within a few years became part of the “Wayland Crew” that were lured to Sherborn.
Sherborn proved to be an idealistic place to raise a family which included several loving pets and numerous neighborhood kids. Block parties, tractor races, Easter egg hunts, basic first aid and the “occasional” cocktail party were de rigueur of Wood Road society. Pat joined the burgeoning tennis scene not only in Sherborn but in West Dover Vermont where the family laid down their ski roots after the early years of day trip skiing around New England.
As the last of the kids were finishing high school, Pat and Bob discovered their dream house in Mattapoisett where they moved to in 1984. Pat jumped right into the tennis circuit making several new and fantastic friends and continued to host her annual Christmas open house- a tradition she started in Sherborn. It seemed that half of Mattapoisett, Dover-Sherborn and friends from beyond would traipse through the grand living room to procure a glass of her sacred cranberry glug. Many can attest that after a serving or two of this famous concoction all bets were off.
The family would like to give a very special salute to Pat’s part time care giver and exceptional friend, Nancy Rego who, along with her three sons enabled Pat to stay in her home up to the very end which was her greatest wish.
Pat’s remains will be interred along side Bob’s at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne on July 16th. When asked what we would like to print on their shared marker stone, we all agreed upon “Pat and Bob”. For us and many that knew them, it says it all!
The family is hosting a get together memorial at the house on Saturday, July 17 at 1 pm. If you knew Pat and Bob please drop on by to share a memory and hoist a final glass to them both. Arrangements were by the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd., Mattapoisett. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.