Patricia “Pat” Louise Mehaffey

Patricia “Pat” Louise Mehaffey

Cedar Rapids

Pat, the only child of Thomas and Pauline (Brown) Pendergast, was born in Iowa City, IA, on July 24, 1931, and died October 9th, 2024, in Cedar Rapids, IA.

She married Charles Mehaffey in June of 1949. The couple was introduced by Chuck’s mother and Pat’s aunt who finagled them into a blind date because they thought Pat & Chuck would be perfect for each other; turns out they were right. They had four children, daughter Robin (1950), and sons Mike (1951), Pat (1952), & Dan (1954).

When Chuck went into the ministry in 1960, Pat attended all his higher education classes with him, from college through Doctor of Divinity from Notre Dame University. The family lived in Cedar Rapids before serving churches in Calmar/Waukoma, IA; Kemp, TX; State Center/Minerva, IA; and back to Cedar Rapids, serving Asbury United Methodist Church until they retired. The couple traveled extensively, always curious about what was around the next bend in the road. Pat hosted many meticulously planned group trips throughout the U.S. for their church congregations (before the internet or Google maps). She was also the choir director, secretary, and wedding coordinator for whichever church they were serving. Before they retired, Pat & Chuck and their family built a home on the Cedar River near Mount Vernon where they hosted family & friends gatherings and lived happily until the Flood of 2008 forced them out. They moved to Dripping Springs, TX, with son Patrick’s family until Chuck’s death in 2011 when Pat and son Dan relocated back to Cedar Rapids. She and daughter Robin, great traveling companions, continued the road trip tradition.

Pat always loved opera so she cajoled grandson Mike, daughter-in-law Colleen, her minister, and assorted friends into taking her to “Live at the Met” operas in the movie theater and was gratified to have gained some converts, especially Mike. She was a member of several bridge clubs and a long-running card party group of Asbury widows. When family told her they were planning a big party for her 90th birthday, she insisted on putting the following on the invitations and in the Gazette: “If you were planning on coming to my funeral, come to this party instead, because I’m not having a funeral, and we’ll all have more fun.” Over 170 attendees agreed. Pat was able to stay in her home because of the care by son Dan until his death in December 2023; son Patrick then relocated to Cedar Rapids in January 2024 to continue her in-home care.

In May 2024, Patrick & Robin took Pat on a very special road trip to Point, TX, for a “Cousins Reunion.” As an only child, Pat’s cousins had become stand-in siblings, and they maintained close and continuous relationships all her life. Always a very musical family, the cousins’ time together was filled with nights of singing and days of playing Mexican Train and deciding whose night it was to cook. This reunion became a celebrated capstone to her traveling days. She had been back home for only two weeks when she took a bad fall that precipitated a slow decline until her death.

Pat was so happy for her five generations: children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. She was “Ammy” to all the younger generations. (Pay attention: lots of Dans, Pats, Chucks & Mikes.)

She is survived by daughter Robin (Clark Rieke); son Patrick (Lorri). Grandchildren: Day Bobinchuck (Paul Townsend) Hilton Head, SC; Michael Barnes (Tabby) Cedar Rapids; Christy Maresh (Patrick) Blairstown; Devin Mehaffey, Cedar Rapids; Dan Mehaffey (Stacie) Spring, TX; Erin McKeon (Jimmy) Westfield, NJ; Chuck Mehaffey, Vineyard, UT. Great-grandchildren: Ryer Barnes (Elizabeth); Jewel Smith (Solomon); Samuel Maresh (Crystal); Estelle Mehaffey; Kate, Claire, & Aaron Mehaffey; Maeve & Reid McKeon. Great-great-grandchildren: Micah & Jude Smith; Charlotte & Rory Maresh. Pat is also survived by daughter-in-law Colleen (Norman Kalvig); sister-in-law Donna Mehaffey; her “sister-from-another-mother” Kabamba Kiboko (Kalamba Kilumba); former grandson-in-law Bryan Bobinchuck; and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and church family.

Pat was preceded in death by her son Michael (1999), husband Charles (2011), great-granddaughter Charli Bobinchuck (2018), & son Dan (2023).

A private family burial at the West Branch Cemetery will be held at a future date. She already had her funeral.

Thank you to Northbrook staff & Hospice of Mercy (Pam, K Lynn, April, Sue) for their compassionate care.