I’m saddened to write that my aunt, Lorraine Patricia Connelly – “Aunt Pat,” died Sunday morning, Jan. 17, 2010, in Hoffman Estates, Ill., at the age of 86. Aunt Pat  was the last living member of my dad’s family, having been preceeded in death by three brothers (most recently my dad, in 2004) and two sisters.

Pat was a wonderful, thoughtful, caring and absolutely fun person to the very end. I remember Pat used to threaten to give me one, “Pow! Right in the kisser!” But of course she never did. [More]