Theresa
Very rarely one has the opportunity to meet someone who has such a profound impact on your life. Patrice was one of those rare people and I was blessed to call her my friend. Anyone that met her would describe her as I am now, the kindest, sweetest and most loving soul on the planet. We would joke about how we met Patrice, as I look back it was one of those times where you say you were meant to cross paths. While traveling to visit family we stopped on the New Jersey Turnpike at a random rest stop. My husband ran into the restrooms as I sat in the car with my 12 month old son wearing Winnie the Pooh footed Pjs as Patrice would always remind me. I watched my husband as he walked into the building only to come back out with two other people wondering, wait what? Who the heck is he walking to the car with? only to realize as he got closer it was his friend AJ and a women who I didn’t recognize but was then introduced to as Patrice. They were traveling to visit her family as we were off to Fenwick Island. Immediately upon meeting her, I felt an instant connection. She knew of the Delaware beach we were heading to and in those first few minutes one could tell her love of children and family; and we agreed to meet up again once we were back on Long Island. Since then we have been blessed to be part of her journey especially her role as a mother; One she held so dear and one she was made to hold. She spoke of her family all the time and it was clear the love she had for them. She loved working with kids; something else she was a natural at.
I will miss her giggle and how she’d say “ooo Vinny” in that Patrice voice as my husband tried to prank her. And the endless times we all got together whether for a 4th of July bbq or just some pizza and board games how she’s laugh and turn beet red. I will miss her baking and sharing her family recipes, trying to explain to me how to cook, as that is not a talent I possess. I will miss how no matter what I was going through, she had the ability to brighten any day, after all you couldn’t be mad after talking to her. But most of all I will miss my friend, the most loving caring kind soul to have ever blessed this world. Thank you Patrice for all the memories, until we meet again.