She was preceded in death by Ray Paulhus (2011), her husband of 49 years. Pat is survived by her children: LuAnn (Dave) Hall of Riverside, Ray (Patti) Paulhus Jr. of Menifee, CA, Sandie (Sam) Freshner of Fairview, OR, Tim Paulhus of Smithfield, and Patrice (Gary) Rook of Pawtucket; 11 grandchildren: Ashley (Steve) Reynolds, Meaghan (Greg) Clark, Cassie (Shawn) Cyr, JC (Bee) Barber, Lauren Hall (Clint DaRocha), Matthew Paulhus, Kaitlyn Hall (Patrick Cameron), Allison Paulhus, Chloe (Edwin Batista) Paulhus, Tyler Paulhus, and Karmen Paulhus, and 9 great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind her sisters Shirley (George) St. Laurent, Joan Bastow, and Janet (Gerald) Czikowsky, as well as her life-long friend Jeanne Bedard and many nieces and nephews.
Pat was raised in Pawtucket and graduated from Tolman High School, class of 1961. She met her husband Ray at Bobby’s Rollaway, and they were married in 1962. It’s been said that it was her skating skirt that caught his eye. They began their family in 1963 in Pawtucket, and in 1968, as the family grew, they moved to East Providence where they remained until 1984 before returning to Pawtucket.
In between rainy Sunday bingo games, Saturdays at the little league field, sledding at the golf course, and simply keeping up with 5 children (all without ever getting behind the wheel of a car!), Pat was a CNA. She used her nursing skills at Rhode Island Hospital, The Memorial Hospital, and Grandview Nursing Home.
In 1983, Pat’s first grandchild was born and her life was forever changed. Pat was a natural in her new role as Meme. The more grandchildren that joined the family, the better she got. Nothing made her happier than spending time with the grandkids. Pat always enjoyed playing games, swimming, summer vacations, and Saturday morning pancake breakfasts. As the grandchildren grew, so did her pride in them. She often commented on how lucky she was that “they all turned out to be so good.”
Mom collected bells (no one knows why) and was the queen of “As Seen on TV” shopping. She loved family holidays, books about the Amish community, The Gilmore Girls, trashy reality TV, Frank Sinatra, the casino (ANY casino!), old movies, drinking in places she wasn’t supposed to (like the movie theater and after hours in the park…), and laughing with her family. But she hated having her feet touched!
She was predeceased by her parents Ted and Dora DeGrenier, brother Roland DeGrenier, sisters Violet Howard and Pearl Chenot, and great-granddaughter Maggie Grace Barber.
Visitation will be held on Friday, July 10 from 5-6 PM followed by a private family service at Pontarelli-Marino Funeral Home, 971 Branch Avenue, Providence, RI. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Pat’s memory to St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital, www.stjude.org or The Shriner’s Children Hospital, www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.9.6