Patrick Folds

Patrick Michael Folds
March 26, 1968 – December 12, 2025
Patrick entered this world on March 26, 1968, in Kenmore, New York, and passed away at home in Anchorage, Alaska, on December 12, 2025. The third of five boys, Patrick grew up in Buffalo, New York, where he was best known for his friendly, outgoing nature and adventurous spirit.
From an early age, Patrick loved exploring new places, especially if live music and a fishing spot were involved. He excelled in many sports, with soccer, downhill skiing, and sailing becoming lifelong passions that he later passed on to his children. Patrick thrived on great conversations with friends and strangers alike.
Patrick graduated from Mount Saint Joseph Academy in 1987 and from the University at Buffalo in 1993 with a degree in Environmental Science. He began his career with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, working in Chesapeake Bay. However, he soon found his true calling working with adolescents-first as a therapeutic aide at Yale–New Haven Hospital's inpatient unit, and then as a middle and high school science teacher.
Teaching took Patrick to remarkable places off the beaten path. His first teaching position was at Ch'ooshgai Community School in Tohatchi, New Mexico, located on the homeland of the Navajo Nation. Later, he taught at Wounded Knee District School in Manderson, South Dakota, where he was deeply loved not only as a teacher but also as the driver of the school's Suburban, picking up students on his way to work. He took immense pride in his students, traveling out of state multiple times with them to national science fairs. Patrick found great joy in staying connected with and following the lives of his former students as they grew into adulthood.
Most recently, Patrick lived and taught in Anchorage, Alaska, at East Anchorage High School while his children were students there. This fall, he began his dream job, teaching middle school science at Begich Middle School. His determination to find creative ways to inspire and support learning left a lasting impact on both the students and his colleagues.
Patrick loved Alaska. He first experienced the state in 1989 while working on the Valdez oil spill cleanup. In 2011, he moved to Anchorage and proudly called Alaska home. Drawn to its untouched beauty, Patrick lived life fully - sailing in Resurrection Bay, camping across the state, climbing and skiing in the Chugach Mountains, and fishing every river, lake, and ocean he could reach. On these adventures, he welcomed family, friends, visitors, and his beloved canine companions. "The more the merrier" was his motto.
Being the father to Rowan, Jonah, and Charlie was Patrick's favorite and most accomplished role. He attended every soccer game, tennis match, ski race, ski jumping competition, and sailing regatta. He celebrated his children's talents, hard work, and journeys, sharing with them his love of storytelling, outdoor skills, and music. He supported his children's desire to travel and participate in exchange programs themselves. He fostered their love of travel, new places, and new people. He welcomed exchange students, Adam and Majda, into their home, adopting them as his own.
Patrick was preceded in death by his father, Joseph B. Folds, Jr.; aunt, Ruth H. Wohn; brother-in-law, Daniel Berry; and close friend and brother, Brian Burns.
He is survived by his best friend and partner of 35 years, Bethany Berry; his daughter, Rowan of Anchorage, Alaska; his sons, Jonah and Charlie of Gunnison, Colorado; his mother, Kevin H. Folds of Cleveland, Ohio; his brothers and their spouses - Joseph and Lynn of Bluffton, South Carolina; Matthew and Tamara, Thomas and Tina, and Andrew and Steve, all of Cleveland, Ohio; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless friends.
Patrick will be remembered always for the way he lived fully and loved deeply. Through his teaching, his relationships, and his boundless generosity, Patrick changed countless lives and will be deeply missed.
In lieu of flowers, the family encourages you to support a local charity close to your heart, with your time and/or gifts, and to remember him each time you smile at a stranger.
A memorial service will take place at the United Church of Christ, 8 Bolton Hill Rd, Cornwall, CT, on December 29, 2025 at 4:00 pm. A Celebration of Life will take place at a later time in Alaska.