Patricia M. (Asiaf) Lake

Barnstable - Patricia M. (Asiaf) Lake, who was defined by her selflessness and sustained by her resilience, died on Oct. 29 in Brockton. She was 92.

Her death, at Good Samaritan Medical Center, came after a period of declining health.

She challenged expectations throughout her life and continued to do so until her final breath, enduring for multiple days after suffering an intracerebral hemorrhage with her heart strong and her will steadfast.

Patricia Marie Lake was born on August 27, 1932, in Brockton to State Representative Peter G. Asiaf, Sr. and Mary (Rugus) Asiaf. The eldest of six children, she spent her early years helping to raise her siblings and her later years mourning them, as she ultimately survived them all.

In her youth, she was ambitious and athletic. Decades before Title IX increased the participation of women and girls in sports, she played varsity field hockey and softball. Mrs. Lake was also a strong swimmer and would often race across the Wareham River from Parkwood Beach, where her parents had a home, to Swifts.

It's during these summers of adventure and discovery in Wareham that she strengthened lifelong friendships and met the man who would become her husband.

After completing secretarial school at Katharine Gibbs and working for the federal government in Washington, D.C., she returned to Brockton and married Howard F. Lake in 1952. Together, they raised six children and forged a partnership that lasted more than 60 years.

Once her youngest child entered first grade, Mrs. Lake learned to drive, and obtained her license, so she could return to the workforce - this time as a teacher's aide at B.B. Russell School in Brockton, where she taught hundreds of children to read. Her skill, her sensitivity, and her ability to unlock the potential of those in her charge made her a favorite among teachers, students, and parents alike.

Her love of children led to her next role at the Department of Social Services, now the Department of Children and Families, in Brockton. She worked tirelessly to keep children safe from abuse and neglect and remained with the department until her retirement, which included time spent with her husband in Delray Beach, Fla., where they welcomed visiting family and friends to the condominium she had so deftly decorated. She also enjoyed exploring local shops, restaurants, museums, and South Florida's scenic waterfront.

As devoted as she was to the scores of children and families she served throughout her life, her deepest love was reserved for her own. Mrs. Lake delighted in family gatherings, during which she could often be found preparing Lebanese food in the kitchen or leading singalongs as she played the piano by ear.

She was unfailing in her support of those in need, even when it came at a steep personal cost. Her altruism also extended far beyond those in her immediate circle through her loyal support of organizations including MainSpring House, Saint Theresa Church, and The Home for Little Wanderers.

In her final years, many of her longstanding interests endured, even as her tastes evolved. Her children and grandchildren could scarcely conceal their amusement as a woman once known for her refined taste eschewed filet mignon for Rice Krispies Treats, silk blouses for sequined sweatshirts, and classical music for Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," which had her bopping in her chair well into her 90s.

She is survived by five children, Patricia D. Scharnick, her husband William, and their daughter Jaquelyn; Rhonda M. Mackin, her husband Daniel, and their daughters Jennifer and Caroline; Howard P. Lake, his wife Suzanne, and their daughters Krystn and Ashley, Mary C. O'Brien, her husband David, and their children Patrick, John, Alexandria, and Andrew; and Peter A. Lake, his wife Deborah, and their children Katie, Ryan, and Tiffany.

Mrs. Lake is also survived by 19 great-grandchildren and her sisters-in-law Mary Ann Asiaf, Katherine M. Asiaf, and Mary E. Asiaf, and her brother-in-law Paul P. Colandrea, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Lake was predeceased by her parents, husband, daughter Debra A. Moran, and grandson Michael G. Walsh, as well as her five siblings, Peter G. Asiaf. Jr., Joan C. Colandrea, Dian L. Asiaf, David A. Asiaf, and A. Bruce Asiaf, and her dearest friends Jane F. Fitzgerald, Sadie T. Lewis, Theresa J. Lorray, Irene F. McLaughlin, and Beverly A. Meier.

Donations in her memory may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Services will be private.