Patricia Ann (Donovan) Suffield

Patricia Ann Suffield, nee Donovan, passed away on Friday, February 12, 2021, at Three Oaks Assisted Living and Memory Care in Cary, IL.

Pat was born on August 8, 1938, in Chicago, IL, to Wilbert John and Helen Louise (Lawrence) Donovan. She was the apple of her daddy’s eye and inherited her red hair from him. She and her younger brother, John, lived with their family in Warrenville, IL, until 1946 when they moved to the family farm in Danvers, IL. Pat attended grade school and high school in Danvers and graduated in 1956. In that time, she enjoyed being a part of 4H and playing her trumpet in the school band. She was also a highly sought after babysitter for 35¢ an hour.

Pat continued playing her trumpet at Western Illinois University where she was a member of the marching band and had great fun on the band trips. She made many lifelong friends at WIU and met her husband, H.W. (Bill) Suffield in her senior year. She graduated in 1960 with a degree in Education. That summer she moved to Des Plaines, IL, and began her teaching career in Skokie, IL.

She and Bill were married on November 25, 1960, and welcomed their first daughter in October, 1961. After their second daughter was born, they moved to Elk Grove Village where their family grew with the birth of a son. In 1969 they relocated to Harvard, IL, and completed their family with the addition of another little girl. Pat relished being a mother and she and Bill became foster parents to Dawn, Heather, and Forrest. In 1983, Pat and Bill moved to Cary, IL, where she resided for nearly 38 years.

Always a dream of hers, Pat returned to school in 1975 and became a Registered Nurse, a career for which she had great passion. Over the years she worked at Harvard Hospital, Woodstock Hospital, Kishwaukee Valley Medical Center, and Alpine Family Medicine. She retired from nursing in 2003.

Pat was an avid reader, a very quick wit, and especially loved puns and crossword puzzles. She was an expert seamstress and did very high quality needlework. She played in several bridge clubs, sang in the Crystal Lake Community Choir, and was a longtime season ticket holder at the Lyric Opera in Chicago. She was an active member at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Elk Grove Village, Trinity Lutheran Church in Harvard, and Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Cary participating in the choirs, Circle, prayer shawl ministry, and Vacation Bible School.

Pat is survived by her husband of sixty years, Bill Suffield; her children Kate (Mike) Crowley, Amy (Chris) Morgan, Peter Suffield, and Anne Boone; eleven grandchildren Andrew (Emily), Margaret, Mary Katharine (Ryan Hutchinson), and Alexander Crowley; Sarah, Kathryn, Margaret, and Grace Morgan; Georgia, Holden, and Avery Boone; her brother John (Pam) Donovan, her brothers-in-law Jim (Sally) Suffield, Joe (Janis) Suffield, and Dave (Linda) Suffield, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and her nephew, Matthew Suffield.

The family sincerely thanks the staff of Three Oaks Assisted Living and Memory Care for their kindness and dedication to our mother’s well-being.

Funeral will be live-streamed, please visit https://youtu.be/vM5FgyrZitA.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Holy Cross Lutheran Church.

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