Obituary of Patricia Gaines

Patricia Ann Gaines, PhD, 86, passed away peacefully, on May 21, 2015, surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Teaneck, NJ on April 19, 1929, to her beloved parents, Elizabeth and William Kelleher. Pat was predeceased by her sisters, Mary and Virginia, her brother, William, and her cherished son, David. Pat enjoyed a modeling and dancing career in her twenties, until she caught the eye of the love of her life, Herbert Gaines. They married in 1954 and had six children. As a young mother, Pat struggled daily with crippling Rheumatoid Arthritis, although she continued to live every day with dignity and grace, vowing never to allow this debilitating condition to define who she was. She loved being a homemaker and mother above all else! She was a wonderful cook, creative baker, and excellent seamstress. Patricia started her college endeavors while in her 40’s and completed her Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate degrees graduating with high honors. In her 50’s, she began a 28+ year career as a Psychologist, a profession that gave her great joy as she was able to use her gifts of listening, compassion, sensitivity and kindness to help her clients and make the world a better place. She is survived by Herbert, her husband of almost 61 years, her son Michael and his wife Anne of Bridgewater, NJ, her daughter Janice Sullivan and her husband, Tom, of New Hope, Pa, her daughter Virginia Boenigk and her husband, George, of Westwood, NJ, her daughter Elizabeth Amrose and her husband, Joe, of Cranford, NJ, her daughter Barbara Farrell of East Hanover, NJ, and her adopted son, Manny Lopez, of Westwood, NJ. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren, Chris, Erin, Michael, Ryan, Laura, Keri, Brian, Danny, Shannon, Jessica, Dylan, Sydnie, Cassidy, and Jayden. She is survived by 7 (soon to be 8) great grandchildren, Aidan, Addie, Elle, Nolan, Paige, Felix and Noah. Visitation will be on Tuesday May 26, 2015 at Maxell Funeral Home 573 Millcreek Road Manahawkin, NJ from 7 – 9 pm, and May 27, 2015 at 9:30 am. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11:15 am on Wednesday May 27, 2015 at St. Mary of the Pines Roman Catholic Church, 100 Bishop Way, Manahawkin, NJ. Burial will follow at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery 350 Province Line Road Wrightstown, NJ 08562.