Patricia Marie (Purcell) Garrity

Patricia Marie (Purcell) Garrity, age 95, of Aurora, Illinois, and Niceville, Florida, and originally from the south side of Chicago, died peacefully on May 29, 2020, after a full and graced life and with family present. She was preceded in death by the love of her life, her husband of over sixty-nine years, Dr. Edward R. Garrity, Sr., M.D., and by her parents Edward and Bernice (Hisel) Purcell of Chicago and of Bristol, Illinois, and by her brothers, Edward (Patricia) Purcell and Jack (Virginia) Purcell. Pat is survived by many relatives and friends and neighbors, along with many nieces and nephews and their families, and members of her extended spiritual family and her immediate family: daughters Janann (Tracy) Licklider of Cambridge, Massachusetts, Maryl (Lawrence) Hankes of Big Rock, Illinois, and Patricia Marcella Garrity of Chicago; niece Patricia Purcell of Aurora; sons Dr. Edward (Linda Keipert) Garrity, Jr., M.D. of La Grange, Illinois, Fr. Robert Garrity, SThD of Ave Maria, Florida, and Thomas (Colleen Magoon) Garrity of Laconia, New Hampshire; grandchildren Zachary Licklider, Francisco Licklider, Bridget Hankes (Isa) Ixpatá, Brian (Eileen McEnroe) Hankes, Jonathan (Katsiaryna Radziuk) Garrity, Colin Garrity, Joseph (Kate Bergeron) Garrity, Nathan Garrity, Trevor Garrity, Hannah Garrity, Ryan Garrity; and great-grandchildren Caitlyn Hankes, Nora Hankes, Joseph Ixpatá, and Grace Ixpatá. Pat is also survived by her sister-in-law, Virginia Purcell, and by the families of several in-laws and other relatives. Born on May 17, 1925 on the south side of Chicago (St. Sabina’s Parish), the second child of Edward and Bernice (Hisel) Purcell, Pat was the loving mother of six children, eleven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She attended Loretto Academy of Englewood in Chicago, through a generous scholarship from the Archdiocese of Chicago for students in need, which she tried to repay throughout her life. Pat also attended St. Teresa College in Winona, Minnesota, St. Francis School of Nursing in Evanston, Illinois, and years later she received a Master’s Degree in Religious Education from Mundelein College in Chicago. Her greatest joy was to serve others, at home and elsewhere, particularly those in need through poverty or sickness, suffering or sadness. Pat especially enjoyed serving through Holy Angels Church, Marmion Academy, and Rosary High School in Aurora, Colegio San Jose in Guatemala, and Christ Our Redeemer Parish in Niceville, Florida. Also she gladly assisted in service projects as diverse as the senior citizen ministry, Golden Agers, Silver Threads, the Dominican Literacy Center, Respect Life, service at Presence Mercy Hospital, meal service to AIDS patients, the Rockford Diocesan Pastoral Council, and service as her husband’s nurse and medical assistant for 31 years each winter after 1970 in providing free medical care for the poor in Guatemala at Marmion’s Colegio San Jose. As wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, student, nurse, and friendly neighbor, Pat found joy and meaning in giving of herself to benefit others. She especially enjoyed serving a tasty meal to the hungry, at home and elsewhere and at charitable gatherings, among friends and neighbors, to the poor and the sick, the dying and the bereaved. She lived by the Lord’s words, “I was hungry and you gave me food.” She loved excellent medical care for all from the womb to the tomb and clean sanitation for everyone everywhere. Her family tell the joke that a family member’s cold or flu was a personal insult and a mission for Pat to bring healing immediately; in fact, her aggressive attacks against common colds, and her persistent questions about the progress of the disease, were worse than the sickness itself and actually forced the sick to get well quickly in order to avoid the ongoing questions. Patricia Purcell Garrity lived a full and blest life – a life for others. Her family and friends are grateful for her fine example and extend their heartfelt gratitude to all who have expressed their condolences. Under current coronavirus guidelines, the Funeral Mass was celebrated on Saturday, May 30, 2020, at 1:30PM at Holy Angels Church in Aurora, preceded by a brief Visitation prior to the Mass, which was attended by immediate family members only. Services were provided by Daleiden Mortuary in Aurora, with burial at St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Bristol, Illinois. Contributions can be made to the Dominican Literacy Center in Aurora, where non-reading persons are assisted in reading English, or to Marmion Academy, or to Rosary High School, or to Holy Angels School, all in Aurora.

Patricia Marie (Purcell) Garrity

May 17, 1925 - May 29, 2020