M. Patricia Faber

Ottawa - M. Patricia Faber, née Cuddy, died on Sunday February 18, 2024 at Carleton Lodge, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, aged 95. Pat was born on September 9, 1928 with dual citizenship, to Canadians Kathleen 'Kay' and Frank Cuddy, in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A. She spent her early childhood in London, and later Toronto, Ontario, with her parents and her brother Robert Cuddy.

As a young girl, Pat excelled in academics and thrived in extracurricular activities, including the Canadian Girl Guides. During World World II, Pat contributed to the Canadian war effort through weekly knitting for servicemen, and was granted school leave to pick fruit in the Niagara fruit belt. Between the ages of 8 -16 she spent her summers at the YWCA Camp Tapawingo near Parry Sound, Ontario. This inspired a lifelong love of the outdoors, and she and her entire family would continue to enjoy camping and cottaging in the Parry Sound area for many decades.

At the age of 21 as a widowed mother, Pat enrolled at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, U.S.A. and earned her B.Sc in Chemistry in 1954. In 1961 she earned a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry at Michigan State University. Pat went on to become a professor of Chemistry and ultimately the Chair of the Chemistry department at Barat College in Lake Forest, Illinois. Her family recalls her story of a university math professor, who seeing the name 'Pat', assumed she was a man, and was taken aback to see a young woman sitting in his classroom. But she was undeterred in her chosen path.

Later in her career, Pat became the first female president of Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society. Her determined and caring nature led her to become a kind and generous mentor to students from the US and around the world, encouraging many other women of all ages to pursue careers in science. In 1996, a concert honoring her retirement was held at Barat College Chapel.

Upon retirement, Pat moved to Corning, NY to be close to her family there. Her energy and love of adventure led her to travel extensively in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the South Pacific. She volunteered with Global Volunteers and the World Wildlife Foundation. She helped count albatross chicks on Midway Island, rode elephants in Nepal, and taught English in the Cook Islands. She was an active and involved member of several Episcopal/Anglican churches for over 4 decades.

Near the end of her life, Pat moved back to Canada and spent several years with the close companionship of Barb Jones, a daughter of Pat's oldest friend, and a cousin, Shirley Ascroft, who were both with her at her passing. Patricia is survived by daughters Deborah (Mike Bill), Margaret (Steve Dawes), and Susan Dickerson; and granddaughters M. Kathleen Perry (Ian Carr), Victoria and Allegra Dawes and great-grandson Simon Carr, all of whom she loved deeply.

Pat's family and friends wish to thank the staff and other residents of Carleton Lodge for their kindness and dedication over the last few years. When the ice is off Georgian Bay and the spring flowers are in bloom, a scattering of ashes ceremony will be held at the memorial garden at Trinity Anglican Church, Parry Sound, Ontario, and her name will be etched into the 'Book of Life' there.

Other services celebrating Patricia's life will be held later in both Canada and the United States. There is a tribute page online (link below), where you are invited to leave your memories of Pat. The date of the Parry Sound service will be posted there and we invite you to add information on any other memorial services or events that may be held. In lieu of flowers, you are invited to donate to any of the following: Global Volunteers, Earthjustice, or the Georgian Bay Biosphere.

'Carpe Diem'

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