Patrick Phelan, 90, of Burke, VA, devoted husband, son, brother, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, died quietly Saturday, June 14, 2014.
Respected and dedicated family man, Patrick cherished his parents and siblings, his four children and their families, his extended, blended family, and especially his wife. A recent widower, still mourning his beloved bride, Gloria, he doted on her for the 37 years of their marriage, the couple remaining active, caring for one another, in their own home, throughout their advancing years.
Born in Paris, France, the eldest son of Raymond and Margaret (Durkin) Phelan, his vast travels around the globe began at once. An American born into a US State Department family, Patrick, spent most of his youth abroad, before finally settling in the US while in high school. His multilingual background prepared him well for his own career as a language specialist, in Foreign Service with the US Government.
Enlisting in the US Navy during WWII, and becoming a "Frogman", a Navy diver, the young sailor served his Country with honor and bravery. As a member of Underwater Demolition, Team 13, in the Pacific Theater, he conducted reconnaissance missions and tactical diving maneuvers off the coast of Iwo Jima.
Before the war, he came to the Capitol City seeking employment, and once the war had ended, he returned to a job held for him when he entered the service. In 1950, Patrick met his first wife, Wilma, the mother of his four children, while both were Political Science majors at GW University. Like his father before him, he accepted overseas postings, including to Puerto Rico, and Brazil, taking his young family with him.
During his long years of service in several Departments of the Federal Government, his language skills well honed, Patrick's extensive business travels took him all over the world, often to places featured in the news, including a number of South and Central American, Caribbean and European countries.
Stationed in the DC area for most of the remainder of his career, he called Northern Virginia "home" for over half a century, with one exception, a posting in Germany, in the 1970's. By then remarried, Patrick took his new bride, Gloria, with him. The pair, married in 1976, shared easy laughter, teased good-naturedly, and still lit up the room when they were together. After more than 37 years, he still called her his Bride. Gloria predeceased her husband by two and a half months.
Now, Patrick and Gloria have been reunited.
Patrick found his deepest pleasures and his greatest sense of pride in his family: his parents, the late Raymond and Margaret Phelan; his siblings, and their families; his dear wife, Gloria, (deceased); his four children and their spouses, 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and his extended family with Gloria: her sisters and their families, her sons and their families, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Respected and dedicated family man, Patrick cherished his parents and siblings, his four children and their families, his extended, blended family, and especially his wife. A recent widower, still mourning his beloved bride, Gloria, he doted on her for the 37 years of their marriage, the couple remaining active, caring for one another, in their own home, throughout their advancing years.
Born in Paris, France, the eldest son of Raymond and Margaret (Durkin) Phelan, his vast travels around the globe began at once. An American born into a US State Department family, Patrick, spent most of his youth abroad, before finally settling in the US while in high school. His multilingual background prepared him well for his own career as a language specialist, in Foreign Service with the US Government.
Enlisting in the US Navy during WWII, and becoming a "Frogman", a Navy diver, the young sailor served his Country with honor and bravery. As a member of Underwater Demolition, Team 13, in the Pacific Theater, he conducted reconnaissance missions and tactical diving maneuvers off the coast of Iwo Jima.
Before the war, he came to the Capitol City seeking employment, and once the war had ended, he returned to a job held for him when he entered the service. In 1950, Patrick met his first wife, Wilma, the mother of his four children, while both were Political Science majors at GW University. Like his father before him, he accepted overseas postings, including to Puerto Rico, and Brazil, taking his young family with him.
During his long years of service in several Departments of the Federal Government, his language skills well honed, Patrick's extensive business travels took him all over the world, often to places featured in the news, including a number of South and Central American, Caribbean and European countries.
Stationed in the DC area for most of the remainder of his career, he called Northern Virginia "home" for over half a century, with one exception, a posting in Germany, in the 1970's. By then remarried, Patrick took his new bride, Gloria, with him. The pair, married in 1976, shared easy laughter, teased good-naturedly, and still lit up the room when they were together. After more than 37 years, he still called her his Bride. Gloria predeceased her husband by two and a half months.
Now, Patrick and Gloria have been reunited.
Patrick found his deepest pleasures and his greatest sense of pride in his family: his parents, the late Raymond and Margaret Phelan; his siblings, and their families; his dear wife, Gloria, (deceased); his four children and their spouses, 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and his extended family with Gloria: her sisters and their families, her sons and their families, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Patrick Phelan, 90, of Burke, VA, devoted husband, son, brother, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, died quietly Saturday, June 14, 2014.
Respected and dedicated family man, Patrick cherished his parents and siblings, his four children and their families, his extended, blended family, and especially his wife. A recent widower, still mourning his beloved bride, Gloria, he doted on her for the 37 years of their marriage, the couple remaining active, caring for one another, in their own home, throughout their advancing years.
Born in Paris, France, the eldest son of Raymond and Margaret (Durkin) Phelan, his vast travels around the globe began at once. An American born into a US State Department family, Patrick, spent most of his youth abroad, before finally settling in the US while in high school. His multilingual background prepared him well for his own career as a language specialist, in Foreign Service with the US Government.
Enlisting in the US Navy during WWII, and becoming a "Frogman", a Navy diver, the young sailor served his Country with honor and bravery. As a member of Underwater Demolition, Team 13, in the Pacific Theater, he conducted reconnaissance missions and tactical diving maneuvers off the coast of Iwo Jima.
Before the war, he came to the Capitol City seeking employment, and once the war had ended, he returned to a job held for him when he entered the service. In 1950, Patrick met his first wife, Wilma, the mother of his four children, while both were Political Science majors at GW University. Like his father before him, he accepted overseas postings, including to Puerto Rico, and Brazil, taking his young family with him.
During his long years of service in several Departments of the Federal Government, his language skills well honed, Patrick's extensive business travels took him all over the world, often to places featured in the news, including a number of South and Central American, Caribbean and European countries.
Stationed in the DC area for most of the remainder of his career, he called Northern Virginia "home" for over half a century, with one exception, a posting in Germany, in the 1970's. By then remarried, Patrick took his new bride, Gloria, with him. The pair, married in 1976, shared easy laughter, teased good-naturedly, and still lit up the room when they were together. After more than 37 years, he still called her his Bride. Gloria predeceased her husband by two and a half months.
Now, Patrick and Gloria have been reunited.
Patrick found his deepest pleasures and his greatest sense of pride in his family: his parents, the late Raymond and Margaret Phelan; his siblings, and their families; his dear wife, Gloria, (deceased); his four children and their spouses, 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and his extended family with Gloria: her sisters and their families, her sons and their families, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Respected and dedicated family man, Patrick cherished his parents and siblings, his four children and their families, his extended, blended family, and especially his wife. A recent widower, still mourning his beloved bride, Gloria, he doted on her for the 37 years of their marriage, the couple remaining active, caring for one another, in their own home, throughout their advancing years.
Born in Paris, France, the eldest son of Raymond and Margaret (Durkin) Phelan, his vast travels around the globe began at once. An American born into a US State Department family, Patrick, spent most of his youth abroad, before finally settling in the US while in high school. His multilingual background prepared him well for his own career as a language specialist, in Foreign Service with the US Government.
Enlisting in the US Navy during WWII, and becoming a "Frogman", a Navy diver, the young sailor served his Country with honor and bravery. As a member of Underwater Demolition, Team 13, in the Pacific Theater, he conducted reconnaissance missions and tactical diving maneuvers off the coast of Iwo Jima.
Before the war, he came to the Capitol City seeking employment, and once the war had ended, he returned to a job held for him when he entered the service. In 1950, Patrick met his first wife, Wilma, the mother of his four children, while both were Political Science majors at GW University. Like his father before him, he accepted overseas postings, including to Puerto Rico, and Brazil, taking his young family with him.
During his long years of service in several Departments of the Federal Government, his language skills well honed, Patrick's extensive business travels took him all over the world, often to places featured in the news, including a number of South and Central American, Caribbean and European countries.
Stationed in the DC area for most of the remainder of his career, he called Northern Virginia "home" for over half a century, with one exception, a posting in Germany, in the 1970's. By then remarried, Patrick took his new bride, Gloria, with him. The pair, married in 1976, shared easy laughter, teased good-naturedly, and still lit up the room when they were together. After more than 37 years, he still called her his Bride. Gloria predeceased her husband by two and a half months.
Now, Patrick and Gloria have been reunited.
Patrick found his deepest pleasures and his greatest sense of pride in his family: his parents, the late Raymond and Margaret Phelan; his siblings, and their families; his dear wife, Gloria, (deceased); his four children and their spouses, 12 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and his extended family with Gloria: her sisters and their families, her sons and their families, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
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