Pat Hanrahan, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, passed away in Portland, Maine, in the early hours of May 21, 2026, with family at her side.
Born in Philadelphia, PA, on January 26, 1945, to William T. (Pat) and Bertha C. (née Peidl) Patterson, Pat was the eldest of four children. Family lore has it that she met her husband, Frank Hanrahan – who may or may not have been engaged at the time – in the ‘60s at a bar in New York City. Whatever the circumstances of their first encounter, so began their life of family, travel, and fine dining together. Their son, Carson, was born in 1967 in West Chester, PA, and daughter Megan came along in 1970 while the family was living in Fort Wayne, IN.
Megan remembers Pat as much more than a mother. “She was my lighthouse through every storm. She was my voice of reason in an unreasonable world. Her strength and resilience were matched by her love and compassion. She was always the first person I thought of whenever I had happy news as she was my biggest cheerleader. “
Family recall Pat’s fierce and feisty nature and full-throttle approach to life. Sometimes. Her brother, Ron Patterson, recalls Pat dragging him along on wild rides to Ship Bottom, NJ, on weekends. Whatever the weather, Pat insisted that the top on the Malibu had to be down. Ron looked forward to hearing Pat and Frank’s travel tales – good and bad – after their many trips to distant lands. He also shared many miles with them as they ate and traveled their way around Florida in recent years. Ron will miss his big sister Pat, he said, especially their Sunday morning phone calls.
Pat’s sister, Barbara Cervi-Skinner Carroll, says Pat’s joy came from her love for Frank, their shared passion for traveling the world, and bringing family and friends along on their journeys by sharing their photos and stories. Their mutual love of cruising the high seas also led to their service together in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, though son Carson and John Patterson, Pat’s brother, recall that “she hated to salute him!”
Pat did everything with style. She was an elegant dresser and always put her best face forward. Whether the day was going to be spent indoors or out socializing, she always put on her jewelry and lipstick and looked effortlessly fabulous. Her memories of her travels always included a run-down of her wardrobe and accessories while dancing the night away on a cruise or discovering some wonder of the world. She was especially proud of her journey on the Orient Express and her time in Egypt. But perhaps the trips that meant the most to her were those spent on the Maine coast with her beloved husband, Frank, including spectacular Christmas Eve dinners lovingly cooked by Carson and his wife, Christina Napoli, in South Portland.
After graduating from Notre Dame High School in Moylan, PA, Pat dove into the work force. As Frank made several moves around the country for his career, Pat held positions with General Electric, was a buyer for several women’s clothing stores in Fort Wayne, IN, and Quincy, MA, a human resources director for an electronics distribution company, an administrator with a vending company, and finally an administrator for a retirement and pension company in Massachusetts.
Pat is survived by son Carson Hanrahan, daughter Megan Hanrahan, sister Barbara Cervi-Skinner Carroll, brother Ron Patterson, brother John Patterson, grandchildren Kirin Hanrahan, Duncan Hanrahan, R.J. Hanrahan, Brianna Hanrahan, Colin Arris, Tyler Arris, Madison Arris, Logan Arris, and Lindsey Arris, and great grandchildren Sophie Marie Hanrahan and Oliver Francis Arris-Dodge.
Pat’s family is grateful for her infectious zest for life, her compassion, and her generosity, especially when sharing her views about one of the books she was reading. (No surprise, she was also a voracious reader!) And they are comforted that she was able to experience Maine again before she left them. Pat loved the foliage in the Fall, wondered at the snow falling in the Winter, and admired the yellows of the daffodils in the Spring. For Megan, her solace is that Pat is back with her father Frank. “I hope they are dancing in the skies.”