Patricia Mary Nugent

1939 - 2025

Patricia Mary Nugent
Born: February 15, 1939 in Steuben, WI
Died: July 10, 2025 in Ottawa, IL
Patricia Mary Nugent, age 86, of Ottawa, Illinois, passed away peacefully at her home on July 10, 2025, surrounded by her loving children and grandchildren.
Mary (Patricia) was born on February 15, 1939, in Steuben, Wisconsin. She was the first of two children born to Michael and Genevieve Friar. She spent her formative years in Steuben and eventually Boscobel, WI and it was here during her middle school years where she met the love of her life, Thomas J. Nugent. After she moved to Boscobel for her High School years their childhood crush turned into High School sweethearts. After graduating from Boscobel High School in 1957, Mary furthered her education graduating from St. Mary's College of Nursing on September 1, 1960, in Madison, WI. As a graduation gift she toured Europe with friends where she also visited Tom who was stationed in Germany. A wedding proposal soon followed which set the course of her life.
On December 2, 1961, Mary married Tom, beginning a lifelong love story rooted in faith, love, laughter, and unwavering commitment. Mary and Tom started their family overseas and when stateside settled in the Chicago area where they purchased their first home in Lyons, Illinois. In 1971, they moved to Sandwich, Illinois where they set their roots and raised their nine children together in a loving community of friends and family nearby.
Mary was the rock of the Nugent family and always put her husband and children first. She was a wonderful cook and could make a meal stretch like no other with no less than 11 mouths to feed in the household regularly. She loved to garden and spent many summers canning everything she could with her mother and children's assistance. She volunteered at her children's schools and St. Paul Catholic Church events often. She was a caregiver to many in her years of work at the Roosevelt Square Nursing Home and every so often you could find her children assisting her when help was needed. Her caregiving extended to her mother and brother who she supported through their end-of-life journeys. She taught those around her kindness and compassion is its own reward.
In 2003, Mary and Tom retired to their final home together in Ottawa, Illinois. This home became the gathering place for family and friends. Mary was an avid Pyrex collector and loved holidays, especially Christmas, where her house hosted the entire family and friends every year. Together her and Tom enjoyed many years of travel, collecting, weekends hitting garage sales with their children, babysitting grandkids, card playing with friends and were embraced by their grandchildren's high school communities, especially the Ottawa Marquette family which treated them as their own. Here they spent their golden years together where they shared over two more decades of love and laughter together.
Mary was a member of St. Columba Catholic Church and a previous member of St. Paul's Catholic Church. Her faith was front and center throughout her life but never more evident as in her last 28 days of life she endured without her best friend and husband, Tom. Mary had a long, beautiful life filled with amazing people and in the end succumbed to her broken heart.
Mary's legacy lives within her children and grandchildren. May they continue to spread love, live passionately, and lead with compassion as she taught them and should they get to live a love story as she did, even better yet.
Mary is survived by her nine children: Steven (Jackie), Teresa Green, Dana (Gary) Goodin, Michael (Ruben Hernandez), Jean Maloney, Mary Kenyeri, Julie (David) Richmond, Becky (Joe) Endres, and Kathy (Todd) Daggett. She is also survived by 25 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 63 years, Thomas J. Nugent, her parents, Michael and Genevieve Friar, her brother Michael Friar, two grandchildren Dakota and Shelby Kenyeri and sons-in-law Donny Green and Steven Kenyeri.
The family thanks our kind and compassionate caregivers, Angela Hatz, Harmony Neal, and Caelyn Goffinet. who helped us in caring for our parents in their home and allowed us to keep our promise. We also want to express a deep appreciation and respect for Dr. Gueorguiev, Marseilles IL for his exceptional care and compassion given to both our parents along with his staff. We were blessed with the best all the way around.
A wake will be held on Friday August 8, 2025, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Ottawa Funeral Home, 1111 LaSalle Street, Ottawa, IL. A funeral mass will follow on Saturday August 9, 2025 at 11am at St. Columba Catholic Church, 122 W. Washington Street, Ottawa, IL. with a luncheon to follow. Mary (Patricia) Nugent will be laid to rest at St. Paul's Cemetery in Sandwich, Illinois.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations please be made to the FVOA Adults Day Program in Sandwich, IL and/or St. Columba Catholic Church in Ottawa, Illinois, in our loving mothers' memory.
The online guest book may be viewed and remembrances shared at www.ottawafuneralhome.com
Ottawa Funeral Home & Crematory
1111 LaSalle St, Ottawa Illinois 61350
815-433-0300
www.ottawafuneralhome.com