Patricia Ann McCarthy

January 28, 1933-May 3, 2024.

Patricia “Pat” McCarthy passed away peacefully in her sleep in Boulder early May 3, 2024 at the age of 91. Patricia was born in East Chicago, Indiana to Patrick and Elizabeth McCarthy and spent much of her life in the Midwest, before moving to Boulder in the early 1990’s.

Pat was graduated from Roosevelt HS in East Chicago and attended Purdue University before taking a hiatus to be a United Airlines flight attendant for several years. Some of her best years were spent in Manhattan, where she was based with two fellow flight attendants as her roommates. She enjoyed all that New York had to offer, and as a lover of theater, she was proud of her collection of playbills from all the Broadway shows she attended while living there.

After her time with United Airlines, she returned to Purdue to finish her Bachelor’s degree in Education. She met and married Bernard Huesing in 1959. They settled in Indiana and began their family, having three daughters, Cathy, Beth, and Jenny, in three and a half years. While raising her family and living in Indianapolis, Pat completed her Master’s Degree in History at Butler University, concentrating on the origins of authoritarianism.

In 1976, the family moved to Huntington, Indiana. Pat taught at St. Mary’s School, Crestview Elementary, and Huntington North High School. She obtained her certification in Special Education and taught in the Resource Room at Crestview for years before becoming an English Lit teacher at the high school. Pat was touched that her former students kept in touch with her over decades via Facebook, remembering her as their favorite teacher. After the death of her parents, Pat took the family to Ireland to see her father’s birthplace in West Cork and meet all the many cousins and aunts, returning several times in subsequent years.

Despite being a self-described “city girl,” Pat always dreamed of living in a beautiful place, closer to nature. She moved permanently to Boulder in 1992, following her divorce, to be closer to her daughters and grandchildren. She described her time since she moved to Boulder as the best years of her life. In Boulder, she began a new life, spending time with her daughters and grandchildren, making a wide circle of new friends, serving as a member of the Board of Directors for the Boulder Philharmonic, and attending the Conference on World Affairs at CU every year. As a supporter and lover of the arts, she provided generously to the Boulder Philharmonic, the Boulder Ballet, and the Shakespeare Festival. Pat also volunteered as a tutor at Boulder Reads and Intercambio, where she formed some wonderful friendships. She loved to travel with friends and family and took many cruises and excursions to Alaska, the Caribbean, and Europe. She loved the Southwest, and Native American art and jewelry. She truly enjoyed Colorado and spent time in the mountains as much as possible - rafting down the Colorado, hiking at Rocky Mountain National Park, and spending time in Vail.

Pat’s friends and family appreciated her great sense of humor. She was an optimist and could always see the funny side of all things. If there was a problem, she would say, “This too shall pass.” She was a lifelong Democrat and was always up for a discussion about politics, history, and the latest election and candidates.

She passed her love of travel to her daughters and grandchildren, as well as her appreciation for art, music, and especially the movies. Pat was a voracious reader and always had at least two books she was reading at any given time. Her family is forever grateful for the rich cultural experiences and travels she exposed them to at an early age and throughout their entire lives.

Pat found great comfort in her Catholic faith and was a member of Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Boulder.

Patricia is survived by her three daughters, Catherine (Chris) Clark, Elizabeth Huesing, and Jennifer (Nicholas) Stachniak. She is also survived by her eight grandchildren, who were her pride and joy: Emma Clark, Aidan Clark, Ronan Clark; Maya Kumar, Rani Kumar; Matthew Stachniak, Patrick Stachniak, and Charlotte Stachniak. She’s survived by many relatives in the Chicago area and County Cork Ireland.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at Sacred Heart of Jesus on Monday, May 13, 2024 at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Boulder Philharmonic and the Boulder Ballet.