Constance C. Patrowicz

Connie met her lifelong love, Tully Patrowicz, as a teenager at Bayside High School. The two were inseparable for nearly 75 years, until Tully's death in October 2023. They raised three children – Scott, Jan, and Robin – living in various communities in Florida before settling in the Mt. Dora / Eustis area in the mid-1970s.
Following high school, Connie pursued a degree in mathematics at Queens College while Tully – a year older – attended and graduated from Columbia. Connie completed her undergraduate studies only many years later, in 1968, earning a BS in psychology at the University of Miami while Tully earned a medical degree. The children and Connie's mother, Grandma Starin, were on hand to see both Connie and Tully receive degrees that year.
Connie went on to earn a master's in education at the University of Florida, where Tully completed an internship and residency in ophthalmology. Later, while her husband worked to establish a successful practice in Eustis, Connie taught special education and ran the family household.
Devoted to her family, Connie also believed in giving back to the community, and she brought tireless energy and exceptional organizational skills to projects that enriched the lives of Lake County residents. She started the county's first birth control clinic and served on the boards of both LifeStream, a behavioral center helping those with mental health challenges, and Hospice of Lake County. In addition, Connie was an avid supporter of Mount Dora Center for the Arts.
As a mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, Connie encouraged her family to strive for excellence, pursue challenging educational opportunities, cultivate the arts, and, most of all, extend kindness to all. Some of her happiest moments were spent in the company of her family and dear friends, particularly at gatherings in well-loved locations, including the picturesque Swiss village, Chateau d'Oex. She enjoyed travel and had a passion for chocolate.
Connie is survived by her son, Scott, his wife, Lucie, and their daughter, Isabel; her daughter Jan, Jan's husband, Ralph, and their children, Andrew and Krista; her daughter Robin and her children, Caitlyn and Zachary, and Robin's husband, Johnny; as well as five great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her parents, Richard and Helen Starin, her husband, Dr. Tully Patrowicz, and her sisters, Agnes and Dorothy.
There is no funeral service planned. Those wishing to honor Connie's memory are encouraged to consider making a donation to We Care of Lake County - www.wecarelakecounty.org/
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