Patricia Wachendorfer

1935 - 2021

Patricia (Connors) Wachendorfer

April 14, 1935 - Nov. 12, 2021

LAKE GEORGE - Patricia (Connors) Wachendorfer, wife, sister, mother, and grandmother, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on November 12, 2021. Pat gracefully lived with Alzheimer's Disease with dignity, a bit of humor, and everlasting love for her family and God.

Pat was born on April 14, 1935 in Queens, NY to Thomas and Mae Connors, the youngest of thirteen children. She was raised in a loving and bustling household on Cambria Avenue in Little Neck, NY attending St. Anastasia Catholic School.

Always ahead of her time, she learned to be a private pilot, was recruited into the C.I.A., and with a never-ending sense of adventure she lived all over the globe: Athens, Geneva, Rome, Munich, and Vienna. Pat was a proud American and served her country by supporting American foreign policy. Always a life-learner, she picked up several languages and an insatiable curiosity about the world.

Pat met her husband, Paul, in Rome, Italy in 1967, where she worked at the U.S. Embassy. The day they met Paul marked on his calendar that he wished to marry her and they did in Rome, Italy on April 20, 1968. They were fixtures on the Via Venato, enjoying La Dulce Vita.

Blessed with four children, Pat and Paul moved throughout Europe, eventually choosing to settle in Northport, NY where they devoted themselves to parenthood. Pat was a dedicated and tireless mother, always cooking, chauffeuring, volunteering, and philosophizing with her children while singing along to her favorites: Petula Clark, Sarah Brightman, and her hometown favorite, Billy Joel.

Pat enjoyed tennis, golf, swimming, and sailing. She was a regular at the Northport Yacht Club Friday Dinners, always socializing with anyone and everyone while enjoying a stiff Jim Beam on the rocks. Pat was first and foremost devoted to her friends, as it was commonly said, "You know, your mother is a very good friend".

A devout Catholic with unshakeable faith, Pat and Paul were fixtures at daily mass at St. Philip Neri Church in Northport. Pat always wanted to be of service, was always the first to help others, and did so with her fierce work ethic. Charity was incorporated into her daily life. For a couple of years, Pat took in her two teenage nephews when their mother fell ill. Perhaps most importantly, Pat was always available to offer sound and no-nonsense counsel, the kind of advice that is often hardest to give and hardest to hear. She was anachronistic in that her faith was rooted in unwavering principles, but progressive in that she accepted everyone for who they were and found God's good in all people. Pat never met a stranger: she was graced with the Irish gift of the gab, and fueled with a genuine interest for people.

Pat was predeceased by her husband, Paul Wachendorfer, and her son, Patric Wachendorfer.

She is survived by her children: Timothy Wachendorfer (Elena), Mina Kessler (Andy), and Laura Cocozza (Francis); her 12 grandchildren; and her brother, Robert Connors.

The family extends its heartfelt appreciation to Laura and Fran Cocozza and the rest of their family who lovingly cared for Pat in their home for nearly seven years. They are a testament to Pat's generous spirit as her love carries on in each of them.

The family also wishes to extend a sincere thank you to the many people and organizations that have helped over the years, especially Kim Comisky and Stacey Barcomb and the entire team of the Caregiver Support Initiative, Suzanne Barth, Patricia Auer, and Mary Stein of the Hudson Headwaters Health Network and the Homeward Bound Program, and Erin Beagle and Janine Kandora who got us through the beginning stages and created the foundation to make home care possible. An extra special thanks to Sherry Cleveland for her creative and compassionate love, support and care, and to Deborah Sherrange who walked miles literally and metaphorically with mom and us. We could not have managed without you. Thank you to the Lake George Central School staff, friends, and Lake George Community who supported the Cocozza family with food, rides for the kids, extreme patience, and words of encouragement throughout the years. Finally, thank you to April, Maria, Ginger, and Elaine and the entire staff of High Peaks Hospice. Angels walk the earth with us and we were fortunate enough to meet you all.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 12:00 pm (noon) at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, 50 Mohican Street, Lake George, NY on Monday, November 22, 2021. Friends may call at 10:30 a.m.-11:45 a.m. at the Church on that date.

A Christian Burial will follow on Tuesday, November 23, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. at Calverton National Cemetery in Calverton, NY. Pat will be buried beside her beloved husband Paul.

Arrangements are through Regan Denny Stafford Funeral Home, 53 Quaker Road, Queensbury, NY. Those who wish may make online condolences at https://www.sbfuneralhome.com.

In lieu of flowers, friends who wish to make a donation in Pat's honor may please consider a gift to Hudson Headwaters Health Network (https://www.hhhn.org) or High Peaks Hospice (https://highpeakshospice.org).