Born in Norfolk, Virginia on February 28, 1949, to Jack and Margie Lee, she was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Buddy Longinotti; son Patrick Longinotti (Seth Fitzhugh) of Hot Springs and daughter Erin Lafferty Longinotti of San Mateo, California; brother-in-law Tony Longinotti (Denice) of Bella Vista; granddaughter Elise Campochiaro of Hot Springs; grandson Hunter Cox of Hot Springs; brothers Mike Lee (Suzanne) of Little Rock and Bill Lee (Mary) of Rogers; and sister Nancy Harrist (Sidney) of Atlanta Texas. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Born into a Navy family, Pat spent her early school years in California. Upon her father’s retirement from the Navy, the family relocated to his birthplace, Hot Springs, where she attended Jones Elementary School and graduated from Hot Springs High School with the Class of 1967. Pat attended Texas Woman’s University and graduated with a BS degree in Elementary Education from Arkansas Tech University. She holds an MSE degree in Elementary Administration from Henderson State University and received Adult Education Certification from the University of Arkansas.
From the early 1970s to 1999 Pat was an elementary school teacher in the Hot Springs School District making her indelible mark on generations of kids who grew to love her. Her impact was such that Park Elementary, where she taught for years, was renamed the Pat Longinotti Learning Center in her honor in 2022. In 1999 she took her enthusiasm and dedication to the next level moving to adult education. First at the Hot Springs Rehab and finally with National Park College where she used her overwhelming compassion and educational skills to help those who had suffered brain injuries regain their lost intellectual capacity. Her dedication was so powerful that she doggedly continued to work throughout her many health ups and downs. She taught right up to mid-March, though greatly weakened.
Patty had many friends and she and a group of them would take annual trips together. She loved to travel and enjoyed a trip with her mother and brother to Germany, France, and Italy. She traveled with her three siblings to England in 2019 and showed her fondness for Shakespeare, Downton Abbey, the Beatles, and pubs.
Patty also had a love for antiques, flea markets, and shopping. She operated on both ends as buyer and seller. She kept Buddy busy hauling furniture to and fro. Her enthusiasm in this area brought her some level of fame, earning her the nickname “The Professor” by her many shopping friends!
No one was more devout in her Catholic faith which shone through in all her many endeavors. Through all her health issues, she never lost her sense of humor or her sense of duty to her beloved profession – teaching. Patty will be greatly missed by her family, students, and many friends. Few people make the kind of impact she made on so many.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Monday April 17, 2023 starting at 11:00am at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church with a reception to follow
In lieu of flowers please consider donating to Catholic Social Services Adoptions.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.grossfuneralhome.com for the Longinotti family.
