Photo courtesy of B.W. Foster Funeral Home - Portsmouth
PORTSMOUTH, Virginia
Feb 18, 1983 – Jan 30, 2022 (Age 38)
PORTSMOUTH--Patrick Warren Comstock, 38, died in a tragic hiking accident January 30, 2022 on the Tahquitz Peak Trail in the California San Jacinto Mountains. Patrick was born on February 18, 1983 and grew up in Portsmouth, Virginia. He graduated from Churchland High School, the College of William & Mary (BA, Summa Cum Laude, PBK), Pace University (MA), Harvard Divinity School (MTS), and Columbia University Teacher’s College (PhD). He was a resident of Rockaway Beach, New York.
Patrick was a well-beloved educator, from his first teaching job with elementary students with Teach for America to his most recent as an Assistant Professor at Relay Graduate School of Education in New York, where he taught general pedagogy and English Language Arts (ELA) content to hundreds of students working towards certification and Masters’ Degrees. Patrick was a cross country athlete in high school and college; he was also an accomplished singer, surfer, and hiker. He traveled widely, having spent time in the Middle East, Asia, Europe, and the Caribbean. His teammates, colleagues, and students describe him as kind and compassionate with a calming presence. He was passionate in his study of meditation in the Zen Buddhist tradition, Christian theology and practice, in addition to his highly adventurous spirit and curiosity.
Patrick is survived by his parents, Dr. James R. (Ray) Comstock, Jr. and the Rev. Ellen W. Comstock, his brother Timothy L. Comstock, his partner Fay Schneider, and a host of friends.
A memorial service will be held on Sunday, February 20, 2022 at 2:30 pm at Monumental United Methodist Church, monumentalumc.org, downtown Portsmouth. Face masks are required. Patrick's memorial service may also be viewed here.
Memorial gifts may be made to the W&M Athletic Educational Foundation (Cross Country), W&M Departments of Religious Studies or Music, or your local not-for-profit supporting public education. Or plant a tree in Patrick’s memory. Condolences may be shared at BWFosterFuneralHome.com.
Read MoreThinking of the family at this time.
Jerriann Kutny
February 12, 2024 | Kansas City, MO | Friend
A year since your passing and thinking about how such a good and model human could tragically just lose his life like it´s nothing certainly makes one feel a host of feelings. Thinking about how many lives you touched by simply being present, being the best listener, kind, thoughtful, fun. I truly hope you´re watching over your loved ones, I cannot imagine their loss compared to the 5 years I got to become your friend. Going surfing with you and getting beer and tacos. So simple, yet we never...
Christine Simko
February 12, 2023 | Friend
My heart is full for the parents today. Sending peace.
Jerriann
February 11, 2023 | Family
My condolences to Patrick´s family for this loss. Patrick taught me in my second year at Relay and he genuinely transformed my teaching practice and entire educational philosophy. He pushed and challenged my thinking and I have been doing that for my students ever since. His legacy lives on in my classrooms and his mindfulness work I did just this week. Thank you for raising an exceptional human. He is missed.
Duncan Miller
July 25, 2022
Single Memorial Tree
Sharon Darrell
April 20, 2022
It was by random "luck" that 5 days after the news article was posted that he had fallen on his usual retreat, that I happened to think of him and decide to google him since I no longer had his number. I dated Patrick when I lived in nyc and we became pretty good friends before I moved to California. I am absolutely heartbroken for this loss and I cannot imagine what the family must be going through. Patrick was a model meditator and he had a special way of making everyone feel at ease and...
Christine Simko
March 08, 2022 | Friend
Single Memorial Tree
Joe and Carolyn Savinsky
March 08, 2022
I was heartbroken to hear of Patrick's death. I was a student of his recently in the middle of the pandemic and all of our classes were virtual. Even through the computer screen, it was difficult not to feel the effect of his relaxed composure. Other than his wealth of knowledge, one memory that stands out to me was this one Saturday morning class in the middle of a stressful semester. With a million thoughts racing through my mind and a list of assignments that demanded my attention, I sat...
Shannon Reid
March 02, 2022 | Student
Single Memorial Tree
Andrew Shurtleff
February 21, 2022
