Patricia C. Calkins

Patricia C. Calkins died on October 10, 2024, at home in the embrace of her husband and son. Patti, 76 years old, was born in Washington, D.C. while her father served there in the Coast Guard. She lived in various cities around the country depending on his service station, including for two years in Hawaii during which time it became our 50th state in 1959. Her family then moved to Old Saybrook, Ct. where she remained until her marriage in 1969. Patricia was born to Thomas J. Collins and Mary A. (Dorsey) Collins on August 10, 1948.

Patti attended the University of Connecticut (Storrs) where she met her future husband in 1966. Patti was married to George P. Calkins on August 16, 1969, at the St. Johns R. C. Church in Old Saybrook. She worked briefly at The Aetna Life & Casualty Co. before leaving to raise her family. When her kids were old enough to begin school, she started working for the Lyme/Old Lyme School District from which she retired after 37 years. Throughout her life she was an avid knitter, crocheter and quilt maker. She loved to make sweaters for her friend’s babies and she made many quilts for her entire family. She was not an outdoor person and once responded when our family doctor asked what she did for exercise, “I knit and read”. He had no response. Above all, Patti was a voracious reader. She read constantly until just before her death. She was an avid member of her monthly book club with several of her closest friends from school. She could be found several days a week at the Old Lyme P.G.N. Library where she had once volunteered. Patti loved her library and the regulars and staff she encountered there. She donated to have a stone placed in a library walkway in her name extolling it as “MY HAPPY PLACE”. Patti and George began a cruising career that lasted nearly 20 years culminating in a 2019 50th Anniversary cruise return to Hawaii to visit her former home and friends from 60 years before. Patti especially enjoyed her visits to “The Regular’s Corner” at our local “Cheers” and the loving banter that ensued with close friends there.

Patti is survived by her husband George, her daughter Sarah R. (Calkins) Jennings, son Adam C. Calkins, and her beloved granddaughter Emily Patricia Jennings and grandson Matthew J. Jennings. Patricia’s sister Mary A. (Collins) Emma, husband Albert Emma, niece Mara Emma and nephew Jason Emma all reside in Georgia.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, October 16th at 11 a.m. in Christ The King R. C. Church, McCurdy Road, Old Lyme. As Patti was firmly against anything funereal, there will be no calling hours. Immediately following the mass, a brief period of greeting and consolation will be held in the church lobby. A private burial for family, only, will follow at the Elm Grove Cemetery in Mystic. Patti would wish that in lieu of any flowers, a memorial donation to the P.G.N. Library, or to a library of the donor’s choice, be made to remember her “HAPPY PLACE”. The Fulton-Theroux Funeral Home is assisting the family.