her parents the late Earl and Flora Steed, her sisters Shirley and Anne (Anne passed away in 2016), her brother Bob, her loving husband Bill or Willie Lugani who passed away in May 2014, her daughter Barbara and her husband Don, her son Bobby and his wife Lillian, her grandkids Christopher, Cheryl and her husband John, Michelle and her husband Travis, her great grandkids Abby and Macy.
Pat had a long and energy-filled life that came to an end on February 17th, 2019 shortly after her 96th birthday. It is clear beyond any doubt that Pat has left a lasting impact on all of your lives because of the life she lived. She cared for you, spent time with you, changed you. Thank you for joining us today for this important time of celebration and remembrance. Today while you miss Pat, you shed tears remembering how good it was to have her in your lives. We shed tears of sadness turning to joy.
Today will be another memory in the long line of memories you have involving Pat. Memories will be shared that bring you to laughter and bring you to tears, and sometimes both at the same time. I know you are grateful for her. I know you are ready to shed a tear of gratitude. I know you are ready to laugh a laugh of thanks for Pat. I know you are ready to talk about peanut butter a little too much as a way to say, “we love you Pat.” I want to start out the service by playing one of Pat’s favorite songs. Use this time to remember specific memories of Pat perhaps even dancing to this song. (Glenn Miller - "In The Mood")
Pat was born in High Point, NC on Feb. 1, 1923. She had two sisters, Shirley and Anne, and one brother, Bob. Pat was very independent as a child and did things her way. Shirley said, “Pat always had her own ideas about what to do when, even as a child; never mind what the rest of us were doing." This never really went away. Pat was Pat and everyone knew it. Bobby even said, “mom was mom. Always.” And Bobby I know you would never have wanted her any other way.
As a kid she always talked about how her father would give her peanut butter because he knew that's all she would eat. This love of peanut butter never went away either. In fact, her love of peanut butter only grew and grew.
Pat was passionate about nearly everything she did. But there are three things Pat seemed to be over the top passionate about. Pat’s three P’s were peanut butter, the party, and people. Pat ate enough peanut butter for an entire Army. She ate it from the time she was young until the very end. She fed her kids peanut butter growing up nearly every day of school. She would pack a peanut butter sandwich for Barbara and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Bobby. And Bobby added that she ate as much peanut butter as she put on his sandwich each day. If you knew Pat longer than five minutes you probably thought Pat stood for “Peanut butter All the Time.” It is said that peanut butter is what kept Pat glued together for 96 years.
Pat was also passionate about the party. She loved going and doing. She was always on her feet moving. She was the energizer bunny. Even for her 96th birthday she wanted a sweet 16 party. Pat celebrated her 96th birthday on Feb. 1. She always said that she would like to be 16 again, so her birthday cake had a 1 and a 6 on her cake; she thought that was great. This was a really special occasion since it turned out to be her last birthday. Her brother and sister were able to present and they really enjoyed being together.
But this party was only one snapshot of Pat’s entire life. Her passion for the party was in her love of being outside, her love of gardening, her love of the beach, her love of NC state football, her love of the Lawrence Welk show, her love of jitterbugging, and so many other aspects of life. She actually took Bobby ice-skating on one occasion even though neither of them had ever ice-skated. Bobby fell several times but Pat never did because she never let go of the railing. Trying new things, she loved the party.
Pat was also passionate about people. This is possibly what Pat was most passionate about (yes, even more than peanut butter.) Pat loved people and people loved Pat. From driving her kids everywhere, to teaching the grandkids to draw, to rubbing Michelle’s back endlessly, to making sure her snooping kids didn’t figure out the Christmas gifts early, she loved people. This passion for people started with her family. Bobby remembers, “I’ll always remember the winters we had with snow and ice. We had a great hill in front of our house for sledding and I spent many hours on that hill. Mom would always have hot chocolate ready for me when I came in to warm up.”
Her brother Bob was four years younger then her, but was thrilled with Pat’s female friends. He said they were too old to pay any attention to him but he still enjoyed having them around. But, Bob remembers when Pat "saved his life" when he was in first grade and she was in fifth grade. They used to cut through the cemetery every day to go to school. One day the roads were icy, and he fell into one of the drainage ditches on the side of the dirt road to the cemetery. He was in danger. Pat was behind him and helped him get out, thus "saving his life."
Another memory that was shared about Pat’s love for people was one girl who fell down the back steps at the Lugani house and hit her eye on the corner of the steps. Pat came rushing out the back door to help and care for this girl. She added that Pat was always so consistently loving and caring toward her. This is just a small picture of Pat’s love and passion for people.
Pat grew up here in North Carolina. The family had relatives in Baltimore and would visit them sometimes. Otherwise, they took day trips to see relatives who lived closer. Pat attended High Point High School where she met her future husband, Willie (who later in life became Bill to other people). He was a cheerleader and she loved going to the games to watch him cheer. They started dating and their favorite thing to do was to go to City Lake with friends and jitterbug. There is that passion for the party. Hopefully that is what they are now doing in heaven, jitterbugging to their hearts content. They enjoyed parties where they could dance to the old songs they loved.
Willie joined the army during World War II and was sent overseas. Pat, who had attended business school, got a job at the Pentagon working for a general. She always said it was a very special time as her best friend was working there with her. Pat had to hide Willie's picture she kept on her desk because the other girls kept taking it to pretend he was their boyfriend because he was so handsome.
Pat and Bill got married when the war was over and lived with her parents for a few years. Their daughter Barbara was born the next year and then they bought their first house. Three years later, their son Bobby was born. Willie's job took them to Raleigh when Bobby was a few months old and Barbara and Bobby grew up in Raleigh.
Five years later they purchased the house that they lived in the rest of their lives. Pat always said she would never leave that house unless it was feet first. She was still very independent and still passionate Pat. Pat joined the neighborhood garden club and loved going to the meetings and working with flowers. She was always in the yard doing something, whether it was planting, weeding, or picking up sticks. She did this until right before her death.
She loved to watch the Lawrence Welk Show because they always played and sang a lot of the old songs she enjoyed when she was younger, especially the ones they used to jitterbug to. Pat enjoyed sewing very much and made a lot of her daughter's clothes. She also made cheerleading outfits and little outfits for Cheryl’s Barbie dolls. She hemmed Chris’s pants even when she didn’t have to. She and Willie loved going to the NC State football games with friends. They went to all the home games for a lot of years.
She worked for several years at a kitchen store that was in the shopping center near her house. She really enjoyed this and meeting customers because she loved people. Pat and Willie enjoyed going to the beach; not to sunbathe, but just to sit under the umbrella and enjoy watching the ocean and taking walks along the shore.
Pat had never been on an airplane when Barbara and Don invited them to go with them to Hawaii. Pat seemed hesitant, but Bobby said she was going if he had to throw her over his shoulder and carry her on the plane. She ended up going and had a wonderful time. This was a trip celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and Barbara and Don's 25th anniversary. She stared out the window the whole time, and then complained because her neck hurt. One of the funniest things from our trip to Hawaii was when we were in Maui at a park. It started to rain and my mother decided to put a plastic bag on her head to keep her hair dry. I took a picture since it looked so weird. We had the pictures developed the next day and I was looking through them after we picked them up. When I saw the picture, I couldn't stop laughing. My father saw it and laughed even harder. My mother came to see what we were doing and said all she wanted to do that day was keep her hair dry. She did laugh at the picture, but not as hard as the rest of us.
The next time she was asked to fly was to Disney World with Willie, Barbara, and Don. She said yes right away and had a great time. She really had a great sense of humor; she got a kick out of telling everyone she was 102, even strangers who would actually believe her, until Barbara told them otherwise. She was very independent and stayed that way until the end. She lived alone after Willie passed away in 2014. She and Barbara spent a lot of time together; they enjoyed eating lunches out and shopping. Pat had her favorite store, which was Tuesday Morning; she always enjoyed looking at everything even if she didn't buy a thing.
Pat spent her last days at Transitions LifeCare. The staff was so gentle and caring. When people asked Pat how she had lived so long, she said it was because she ate a lot of peanut butter. What a fitting way to end. One thing is certain; Pat loved well and is loved well. Let’s close out this time of celebration through a time of prayer.
Pat had a long and energy-filled life that came to an end on February 17th, 2019 shortly after her 96th birthday. It is clear beyond any doubt that Pat has left a lasting impact on all of your lives because of the life she lived. She cared for you, spent time with you, changed you. Thank you for joining us today for this important time of celebration and remembrance. Today while you miss Pat, you shed tears remembering how good it was to have her in your lives. We shed tears of sadness turning to joy.
Today will be another memory in the long line of memories you have involving Pat. Memories will be shared that bring you to laughter and bring you to tears, and sometimes both at the same time. I know you are grateful for her. I know you are ready to shed a tear of gratitude. I know you are ready to laugh a laugh of thanks for Pat. I know you are ready to talk about peanut butter a little too much as a way to say, “we love you Pat.” I want to start out the service by playing one of Pat’s favorite songs. Use this time to remember specific memories of Pat perhaps even dancing to this song. (Glenn Miller - "In The Mood")
Pat was born in High Point, NC on Feb. 1, 1923. She had two sisters, Shirley and Anne, and one brother, Bob. Pat was very independent as a child and did things her way. Shirley said, “Pat always had her own ideas about what to do when, even as a child; never mind what the rest of us were doing." This never really went away. Pat was Pat and everyone knew it. Bobby even said, “mom was mom. Always.” And Bobby I know you would never have wanted her any other way.
As a kid she always talked about how her father would give her peanut butter because he knew that's all she would eat. This love of peanut butter never went away either. In fact, her love of peanut butter only grew and grew.
Pat was passionate about nearly everything she did. But there are three things Pat seemed to be over the top passionate about. Pat’s three P’s were peanut butter, the party, and people. Pat ate enough peanut butter for an entire Army. She ate it from the time she was young until the very end. She fed her kids peanut butter growing up nearly every day of school. She would pack a peanut butter sandwich for Barbara and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Bobby. And Bobby added that she ate as much peanut butter as she put on his sandwich each day. If you knew Pat longer than five minutes you probably thought Pat stood for “Peanut butter All the Time.” It is said that peanut butter is what kept Pat glued together for 96 years.
Pat was also passionate about the party. She loved going and doing. She was always on her feet moving. She was the energizer bunny. Even for her 96th birthday she wanted a sweet 16 party. Pat celebrated her 96th birthday on Feb. 1. She always said that she would like to be 16 again, so her birthday cake had a 1 and a 6 on her cake; she thought that was great. This was a really special occasion since it turned out to be her last birthday. Her brother and sister were able to present and they really enjoyed being together.
But this party was only one snapshot of Pat’s entire life. Her passion for the party was in her love of being outside, her love of gardening, her love of the beach, her love of NC state football, her love of the Lawrence Welk show, her love of jitterbugging, and so many other aspects of life. She actually took Bobby ice-skating on one occasion even though neither of them had ever ice-skated. Bobby fell several times but Pat never did because she never let go of the railing. Trying new things, she loved the party.
Pat was also passionate about people. This is possibly what Pat was most passionate about (yes, even more than peanut butter.) Pat loved people and people loved Pat. From driving her kids everywhere, to teaching the grandkids to draw, to rubbing Michelle’s back endlessly, to making sure her snooping kids didn’t figure out the Christmas gifts early, she loved people. This passion for people started with her family. Bobby remembers, “I’ll always remember the winters we had with snow and ice. We had a great hill in front of our house for sledding and I spent many hours on that hill. Mom would always have hot chocolate ready for me when I came in to warm up.”
Her brother Bob was four years younger then her, but was thrilled with Pat’s female friends. He said they were too old to pay any attention to him but he still enjoyed having them around. But, Bob remembers when Pat "saved his life" when he was in first grade and she was in fifth grade. They used to cut through the cemetery every day to go to school. One day the roads were icy, and he fell into one of the drainage ditches on the side of the dirt road to the cemetery. He was in danger. Pat was behind him and helped him get out, thus "saving his life."
Another memory that was shared about Pat’s love for people was one girl who fell down the back steps at the Lugani house and hit her eye on the corner of the steps. Pat came rushing out the back door to help and care for this girl. She added that Pat was always so consistently loving and caring toward her. This is just a small picture of Pat’s love and passion for people.
Pat grew up here in North Carolina. The family had relatives in Baltimore and would visit them sometimes. Otherwise, they took day trips to see relatives who lived closer. Pat attended High Point High School where she met her future husband, Willie (who later in life became Bill to other people). He was a cheerleader and she loved going to the games to watch him cheer. They started dating and their favorite thing to do was to go to City Lake with friends and jitterbug. There is that passion for the party. Hopefully that is what they are now doing in heaven, jitterbugging to their hearts content. They enjoyed parties where they could dance to the old songs they loved.
Willie joined the army during World War II and was sent overseas. Pat, who had attended business school, got a job at the Pentagon working for a general. She always said it was a very special time as her best friend was working there with her. Pat had to hide Willie's picture she kept on her desk because the other girls kept taking it to pretend he was their boyfriend because he was so handsome.
Pat and Bill got married when the war was over and lived with her parents for a few years. Their daughter Barbara was born the next year and then they bought their first house. Three years later, their son Bobby was born. Willie's job took them to Raleigh when Bobby was a few months old and Barbara and Bobby grew up in Raleigh.
Five years later they purchased the house that they lived in the rest of their lives. Pat always said she would never leave that house unless it was feet first. She was still very independent and still passionate Pat. Pat joined the neighborhood garden club and loved going to the meetings and working with flowers. She was always in the yard doing something, whether it was planting, weeding, or picking up sticks. She did this until right before her death.
She loved to watch the Lawrence Welk Show because they always played and sang a lot of the old songs she enjoyed when she was younger, especially the ones they used to jitterbug to. Pat enjoyed sewing very much and made a lot of her daughter's clothes. She also made cheerleading outfits and little outfits for Cheryl’s Barbie dolls. She hemmed Chris’s pants even when she didn’t have to. She and Willie loved going to the NC State football games with friends. They went to all the home games for a lot of years.
She worked for several years at a kitchen store that was in the shopping center near her house. She really enjoyed this and meeting customers because she loved people. Pat and Willie enjoyed going to the beach; not to sunbathe, but just to sit under the umbrella and enjoy watching the ocean and taking walks along the shore.
Pat had never been on an airplane when Barbara and Don invited them to go with them to Hawaii. Pat seemed hesitant, but Bobby said she was going if he had to throw her over his shoulder and carry her on the plane. She ended up going and had a wonderful time. This was a trip celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and Barbara and Don's 25th anniversary. She stared out the window the whole time, and then complained because her neck hurt. One of the funniest things from our trip to Hawaii was when we were in Maui at a park. It started to rain and my mother decided to put a plastic bag on her head to keep her hair dry. I took a picture since it looked so weird. We had the pictures developed the next day and I was looking through them after we picked them up. When I saw the picture, I couldn't stop laughing. My father saw it and laughed even harder. My mother came to see what we were doing and said all she wanted to do that day was keep her hair dry. She did laugh at the picture, but not as hard as the rest of us.
The next time she was asked to fly was to Disney World with Willie, Barbara, and Don. She said yes right away and had a great time. She really had a great sense of humor; she got a kick out of telling everyone she was 102, even strangers who would actually believe her, until Barbara told them otherwise. She was very independent and stayed that way until the end. She lived alone after Willie passed away in 2014. She and Barbara spent a lot of time together; they enjoyed eating lunches out and shopping. Pat had her favorite store, which was Tuesday Morning; she always enjoyed looking at everything even if she didn't buy a thing.
Pat spent her last days at Transitions LifeCare. The staff was so gentle and caring. When people asked Pat how she had lived so long, she said it was because she ate a lot of peanut butter. What a fitting way to end. One thing is certain; Pat loved well and is loved well. Let’s close out this time of celebration through a time of prayer.
her parents the late Earl and Flora Steed, her sisters Shirley and Anne (Anne passed away in 2016), her brother Bob, her loving husband Bill or Willie Lugani who passed away in May 2014, her daughter Barbara and her husband Don, her son Bobby and his wife Lillian, her grandkids Christopher, Cheryl and her husband John, Michelle and her husband Travis, her great grandkids Abby and Macy.
Pat had a long and energy-filled life that came to an end on February 17th, 2019 shortly after her 96th birthday. It is clear beyond any doubt that Pat has left a lasting impact on all of your lives because of the life she lived. She cared for you, spent time with you, changed you. Thank you for joining us today for this important time of celebration and remembrance. Today while you miss Pat, you shed tears remembering how good it was to have her in your lives. We shed tears of sadness turning to joy.
Today will be another memory in the long line of memories you have involving Pat. Memories will be shared that bring you to laughter and bring you to tears, and sometimes both at the same time. I know you are grateful for her. I know you are ready to shed a tear of gratitude. I know you are ready to laugh a laugh of thanks for Pat. I know you are ready to talk about peanut butter a little too much as a way to say, “we love you Pat.” I want to start out the service by playing one of Pat’s favorite songs. Use this time to remember specific memories of Pat perhaps even dancing to this song. (Glenn Miller - "In The Mood")
Pat was born in High Point, NC on Feb. 1, 1923. She had two sisters, Shirley and Anne, and one brother, Bob. Pat was very independent as a child and did things her way. Shirley said, “Pat always had her own ideas about what to do when, even as a child; never mind what the rest of us were doing." This never really went away. Pat was Pat and everyone knew it. Bobby even said, “mom was mom. Always.” And Bobby I know you would never have wanted her any other way.
As a kid she always talked about how her father would give her peanut butter because he knew that's all she would eat. This love of peanut butter never went away either. In fact, her love of peanut butter only grew and grew.
Pat was passionate about nearly everything she did. But there are three things Pat seemed to be over the top passionate about. Pat’s three P’s were peanut butter, the party, and people. Pat ate enough peanut butter for an entire Army. She ate it from the time she was young until the very end. She fed her kids peanut butter growing up nearly every day of school. She would pack a peanut butter sandwich for Barbara and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Bobby. And Bobby added that she ate as much peanut butter as she put on his sandwich each day. If you knew Pat longer than five minutes you probably thought Pat stood for “Peanut butter All the Time.” It is said that peanut butter is what kept Pat glued together for 96 years.
Pat was also passionate about the party. She loved going and doing. She was always on her feet moving. She was the energizer bunny. Even for her 96th birthday she wanted a sweet 16 party. Pat celebrated her 96th birthday on Feb. 1. She always said that she would like to be 16 again, so her birthday cake had a 1 and a 6 on her cake; she thought that was great. This was a really special occasion since it turned out to be her last birthday. Her brother and sister were able to present and they really enjoyed being together.
But this party was only one snapshot of Pat’s entire life. Her passion for the party was in her love of being outside, her love of gardening, her love of the beach, her love of NC state football, her love of the Lawrence Welk show, her love of jitterbugging, and so many other aspects of life. She actually took Bobby ice-skating on one occasion even though neither of them had ever ice-skated. Bobby fell several times but Pat never did because she never let go of the railing. Trying new things, she loved the party.
Pat was also passionate about people. This is possibly what Pat was most passionate about (yes, even more than peanut butter.) Pat loved people and people loved Pat. From driving her kids everywhere, to teaching the grandkids to draw, to rubbing Michelle’s back endlessly, to making sure her snooping kids didn’t figure out the Christmas gifts early, she loved people. This passion for people started with her family. Bobby remembers, “I’ll always remember the winters we had with snow and ice. We had a great hill in front of our house for sledding and I spent many hours on that hill. Mom would always have hot chocolate ready for me when I came in to warm up.”
Her brother Bob was four years younger then her, but was thrilled with Pat’s female friends. He said they were too old to pay any attention to him but he still enjoyed having them around. But, Bob remembers when Pat "saved his life" when he was in first grade and she was in fifth grade. They used to cut through the cemetery every day to go to school. One day the roads were icy, and he fell into one of the drainage ditches on the side of the dirt road to the cemetery. He was in danger. Pat was behind him and helped him get out, thus "saving his life."
Another memory that was shared about Pat’s love for people was one girl who fell down the back steps at the Lugani house and hit her eye on the corner of the steps. Pat came rushing out the back door to help and care for this girl. She added that Pat was always so consistently loving and caring toward her. This is just a small picture of Pat’s love and passion for people.
Pat grew up here in North Carolina. The family had relatives in Baltimore and would visit them sometimes. Otherwise, they took day trips to see relatives who lived closer. Pat attended High Point High School where she met her future husband, Willie (who later in life became Bill to other people). He was a cheerleader and she loved going to the games to watch him cheer. They started dating and their favorite thing to do was to go to City Lake with friends and jitterbug. There is that passion for the party. Hopefully that is what they are now doing in heaven, jitterbugging to their hearts content. They enjoyed parties where they could dance to the old songs they loved.
Willie joined the army during World War II and was sent overseas. Pat, who had attended business school, got a job at the Pentagon working for a general. She always said it was a very special time as her best friend was working there with her. Pat had to hide Willie's picture she kept on her desk because the other girls kept taking it to pretend he was their boyfriend because he was so handsome.
Pat and Bill got married when the war was over and lived with her parents for a few years. Their daughter Barbara was born the next year and then they bought their first house. Three years later, their son Bobby was born. Willie's job took them to Raleigh when Bobby was a few months old and Barbara and Bobby grew up in Raleigh.
Five years later they purchased the house that they lived in the rest of their lives. Pat always said she would never leave that house unless it was feet first. She was still very independent and still passionate Pat. Pat joined the neighborhood garden club and loved going to the meetings and working with flowers. She was always in the yard doing something, whether it was planting, weeding, or picking up sticks. She did this until right before her death.
She loved to watch the Lawrence Welk Show because they always played and sang a lot of the old songs she enjoyed when she was younger, especially the ones they used to jitterbug to. Pat enjoyed sewing very much and made a lot of her daughter's clothes. She also made cheerleading outfits and little outfits for Cheryl’s Barbie dolls. She hemmed Chris’s pants even when she didn’t have to. She and Willie loved going to the NC State football games with friends. They went to all the home games for a lot of years.
She worked for several years at a kitchen store that was in the shopping center near her house. She really enjoyed this and meeting customers because she loved people. Pat and Willie enjoyed going to the beach; not to sunbathe, but just to sit under the umbrella and enjoy watching the ocean and taking walks along the shore.
Pat had never been on an airplane when Barbara and Don invited them to go with them to Hawaii. Pat seemed hesitant, but Bobby said she was going if he had to throw her over his shoulder and carry her on the plane. She ended up going and had a wonderful time. This was a trip celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and Barbara and Don's 25th anniversary. She stared out the window the whole time, and then complained because her neck hurt. One of the funniest things from our trip to Hawaii was when we were in Maui at a park. It started to rain and my mother decided to put a plastic bag on her head to keep her hair dry. I took a picture since it looked so weird. We had the pictures developed the next day and I was looking through them after we picked them up. When I saw the picture, I couldn't stop laughing. My father saw it and laughed even harder. My mother came to see what we were doing and said all she wanted to do that day was keep her hair dry. She did laugh at the picture, but not as hard as the rest of us.
The next time she was asked to fly was to Disney World with Willie, Barbara, and Don. She said yes right away and had a great time. She really had a great sense of humor; she got a kick out of telling everyone she was 102, even strangers who would actually believe her, until Barbara told them otherwise. She was very independent and stayed that way until the end. She lived alone after Willie passed away in 2014. She and Barbara spent a lot of time together; they enjoyed eating lunches out and shopping. Pat had her favorite store, which was Tuesday Morning; she always enjoyed looking at everything even if she didn't buy a thing.
Pat spent her last days at Transitions LifeCare. The staff was so gentle and caring. When people asked Pat how she had lived so long, she said it was because she ate a lot of peanut butter. What a fitting way to end. One thing is certain; Pat loved well and is loved well. Let’s close out this time of celebration through a time of prayer.
Pat had a long and energy-filled life that came to an end on February 17th, 2019 shortly after her 96th birthday. It is clear beyond any doubt that Pat has left a lasting impact on all of your lives because of the life she lived. She cared for you, spent time with you, changed you. Thank you for joining us today for this important time of celebration and remembrance. Today while you miss Pat, you shed tears remembering how good it was to have her in your lives. We shed tears of sadness turning to joy.
Today will be another memory in the long line of memories you have involving Pat. Memories will be shared that bring you to laughter and bring you to tears, and sometimes both at the same time. I know you are grateful for her. I know you are ready to shed a tear of gratitude. I know you are ready to laugh a laugh of thanks for Pat. I know you are ready to talk about peanut butter a little too much as a way to say, “we love you Pat.” I want to start out the service by playing one of Pat’s favorite songs. Use this time to remember specific memories of Pat perhaps even dancing to this song. (Glenn Miller - "In The Mood")
Pat was born in High Point, NC on Feb. 1, 1923. She had two sisters, Shirley and Anne, and one brother, Bob. Pat was very independent as a child and did things her way. Shirley said, “Pat always had her own ideas about what to do when, even as a child; never mind what the rest of us were doing." This never really went away. Pat was Pat and everyone knew it. Bobby even said, “mom was mom. Always.” And Bobby I know you would never have wanted her any other way.
As a kid she always talked about how her father would give her peanut butter because he knew that's all she would eat. This love of peanut butter never went away either. In fact, her love of peanut butter only grew and grew.
Pat was passionate about nearly everything she did. But there are three things Pat seemed to be over the top passionate about. Pat’s three P’s were peanut butter, the party, and people. Pat ate enough peanut butter for an entire Army. She ate it from the time she was young until the very end. She fed her kids peanut butter growing up nearly every day of school. She would pack a peanut butter sandwich for Barbara and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Bobby. And Bobby added that she ate as much peanut butter as she put on his sandwich each day. If you knew Pat longer than five minutes you probably thought Pat stood for “Peanut butter All the Time.” It is said that peanut butter is what kept Pat glued together for 96 years.
Pat was also passionate about the party. She loved going and doing. She was always on her feet moving. She was the energizer bunny. Even for her 96th birthday she wanted a sweet 16 party. Pat celebrated her 96th birthday on Feb. 1. She always said that she would like to be 16 again, so her birthday cake had a 1 and a 6 on her cake; she thought that was great. This was a really special occasion since it turned out to be her last birthday. Her brother and sister were able to present and they really enjoyed being together.
But this party was only one snapshot of Pat’s entire life. Her passion for the party was in her love of being outside, her love of gardening, her love of the beach, her love of NC state football, her love of the Lawrence Welk show, her love of jitterbugging, and so many other aspects of life. She actually took Bobby ice-skating on one occasion even though neither of them had ever ice-skated. Bobby fell several times but Pat never did because she never let go of the railing. Trying new things, she loved the party.
Pat was also passionate about people. This is possibly what Pat was most passionate about (yes, even more than peanut butter.) Pat loved people and people loved Pat. From driving her kids everywhere, to teaching the grandkids to draw, to rubbing Michelle’s back endlessly, to making sure her snooping kids didn’t figure out the Christmas gifts early, she loved people. This passion for people started with her family. Bobby remembers, “I’ll always remember the winters we had with snow and ice. We had a great hill in front of our house for sledding and I spent many hours on that hill. Mom would always have hot chocolate ready for me when I came in to warm up.”
Her brother Bob was four years younger then her, but was thrilled with Pat’s female friends. He said they were too old to pay any attention to him but he still enjoyed having them around. But, Bob remembers when Pat "saved his life" when he was in first grade and she was in fifth grade. They used to cut through the cemetery every day to go to school. One day the roads were icy, and he fell into one of the drainage ditches on the side of the dirt road to the cemetery. He was in danger. Pat was behind him and helped him get out, thus "saving his life."
Another memory that was shared about Pat’s love for people was one girl who fell down the back steps at the Lugani house and hit her eye on the corner of the steps. Pat came rushing out the back door to help and care for this girl. She added that Pat was always so consistently loving and caring toward her. This is just a small picture of Pat’s love and passion for people.
Pat grew up here in North Carolina. The family had relatives in Baltimore and would visit them sometimes. Otherwise, they took day trips to see relatives who lived closer. Pat attended High Point High School where she met her future husband, Willie (who later in life became Bill to other people). He was a cheerleader and she loved going to the games to watch him cheer. They started dating and their favorite thing to do was to go to City Lake with friends and jitterbug. There is that passion for the party. Hopefully that is what they are now doing in heaven, jitterbugging to their hearts content. They enjoyed parties where they could dance to the old songs they loved.
Willie joined the army during World War II and was sent overseas. Pat, who had attended business school, got a job at the Pentagon working for a general. She always said it was a very special time as her best friend was working there with her. Pat had to hide Willie's picture she kept on her desk because the other girls kept taking it to pretend he was their boyfriend because he was so handsome.
Pat and Bill got married when the war was over and lived with her parents for a few years. Their daughter Barbara was born the next year and then they bought their first house. Three years later, their son Bobby was born. Willie's job took them to Raleigh when Bobby was a few months old and Barbara and Bobby grew up in Raleigh.
Five years later they purchased the house that they lived in the rest of their lives. Pat always said she would never leave that house unless it was feet first. She was still very independent and still passionate Pat. Pat joined the neighborhood garden club and loved going to the meetings and working with flowers. She was always in the yard doing something, whether it was planting, weeding, or picking up sticks. She did this until right before her death.
She loved to watch the Lawrence Welk Show because they always played and sang a lot of the old songs she enjoyed when she was younger, especially the ones they used to jitterbug to. Pat enjoyed sewing very much and made a lot of her daughter's clothes. She also made cheerleading outfits and little outfits for Cheryl’s Barbie dolls. She hemmed Chris’s pants even when she didn’t have to. She and Willie loved going to the NC State football games with friends. They went to all the home games for a lot of years.
She worked for several years at a kitchen store that was in the shopping center near her house. She really enjoyed this and meeting customers because she loved people. Pat and Willie enjoyed going to the beach; not to sunbathe, but just to sit under the umbrella and enjoy watching the ocean and taking walks along the shore.
Pat had never been on an airplane when Barbara and Don invited them to go with them to Hawaii. Pat seemed hesitant, but Bobby said she was going if he had to throw her over his shoulder and carry her on the plane. She ended up going and had a wonderful time. This was a trip celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary and Barbara and Don's 25th anniversary. She stared out the window the whole time, and then complained because her neck hurt. One of the funniest things from our trip to Hawaii was when we were in Maui at a park. It started to rain and my mother decided to put a plastic bag on her head to keep her hair dry. I took a picture since it looked so weird. We had the pictures developed the next day and I was looking through them after we picked them up. When I saw the picture, I couldn't stop laughing. My father saw it and laughed even harder. My mother came to see what we were doing and said all she wanted to do that day was keep her hair dry. She did laugh at the picture, but not as hard as the rest of us.
The next time she was asked to fly was to Disney World with Willie, Barbara, and Don. She said yes right away and had a great time. She really had a great sense of humor; she got a kick out of telling everyone she was 102, even strangers who would actually believe her, until Barbara told them otherwise. She was very independent and stayed that way until the end. She lived alone after Willie passed away in 2014. She and Barbara spent a lot of time together; they enjoyed eating lunches out and shopping. Pat had her favorite store, which was Tuesday Morning; she always enjoyed looking at everything even if she didn't buy a thing.
Pat spent her last days at Transitions LifeCare. The staff was so gentle and caring. When people asked Pat how she had lived so long, she said it was because she ate a lot of peanut butter. What a fitting way to end. One thing is certain; Pat loved well and is loved well. Let’s close out this time of celebration through a time of prayer.
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