PORTLAND – After a long life, well-lived and well-loved, Patricia M. Weeks died Oct. 10, 2024, following a brief illness and hospitalization. Pat’s lifelong desire for knowledge started in Dorchester, Mass., where she was aggravated on the first day of kindergarten that no one taught her to read so she went home and taught herself. She also learned about gravity by dropping her china tea set from a high window, and recorded with satisfaction the noise of each crashing piece. She shared her love of learning with her family for all of her 93 years.

As a young girl, Patsy lived with her parents Henry and Eleanor Mowles, and later her younger sister Cynthia, in an old colonial farmhouse in Candia, N.H. A member of the Greatest Generation, she entertained herself during the paper shortage of World War II by designing one inch paper dolls cut from the edges of old books. It was in Candia that she met her future husband, Paul Weeks, when he shot her with a BB gun as she roller skated by. Pat and Paul were married in 1952 and remained happily married for over 70 years until Paul’s death in 2023.

Pat was creative, curious, funny, and smart. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from The University of New Hampshire and her Masters of Library Science from UMO. Pat and Paul lived in Gorham for over 50 years, where she worked as a librarian at both the Shaw Middle School and the Baxter Memorial Library. Pat enjoyed encouraging young readers and researching unique topics. She also loved dogs, and patiently cared for an evil and aging cat named Crayon for over 20 years. A prolific artist and a logophile, she will be remembered for her incredible paintings, sharp wit, and knowledge of just about everything (except sports!). Pat was also an avid gardener, and was a long-time member of the Maine Iris Society and the Maine Botanical Gardens. Her creation of an Asian-inspired garden in her backyard is a lasting achievement.

Pat (Nana) will be greatly missed by her sister Cynthia, her daughters, Sharon Whitten and Deb Johnson, and by her treasured grandchildren and their spouses. A funeral Mass will be held at St. Anne’s Church in Gorham on Friday November 22, at 11 a.m., followed by a gathering at 390 Main Street in Gorham. A private burial will follow in the spring.

In honor of Pat’s love of bright colors, artistic outfits, and banned books, please always wear your finest frippery, and in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Baxter Memorial Library

in Gorham.