Obituary of Patricia A. Sheridan

Patricia A. Sheridan of Clinton, New York, passed away June 3, 2025. She was born on August 3, 1927, in Utica, NY, to the late Walter H. and Ethel (Kunze) Magee. She attended Blessed Sacrament School and graduated from Utica Free Academy. Pat had an uncanny way of recognizing classmates from her childhood wherever she went in the Utica area. 

Pat married Robert J. Sheridan on July 15, 1950 at St. Mary’s Church, Clinton. They raised five children together until Bob passed away on April 12, 1992.  They loved attending Marriage Encounter in the 1970’s and 80’s, forming many lifelong friendships and strengthening their marriage. 

Pat was employed by Commercial Travelers Insurance Company before her marriage.  After her children were all in school, she worked for Frederick G. Turner, Esq., Dr. William Gale, DDS and Dr. Lisa M. Lester, DDS. Pat was a devoted volunteer for St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Clinton, where she was a member since 1950.  Pat was a member of St. Mary’s Women’s Club, Altar Rosary Society, Eucharistic Minister and volunteered in the church office working alongside the staff in recording parishioner donation envelopes.  She was proficient at proofing the weekly church bulletins well before spell-check was around. The care, cleaning and ironing of altar linens at St. Mary’s were a constant passion for Pat since the early 1960’s and lasted through the rest of her life. 

In 2020, Pat was recognized by the Diocese of Syracuse with the Immaculata Award from Bishop Douglas J. Lucia, to honor her many decades of dedicated service to St. Mary’s Church. Pat was nominated for this award by her parish community. Bishop Lucia stated the award recipients “are the unsung heroes in our midst who build up our parish communities by extraordinary service in parish ministry and volunteer service”.  

Pat was also a member of the Clinton Historical Society and St. Elizabeth’s Guild. She volunteered at St. Elizabeth’s hospital for years, especially loving to care for the newborns and assisting in the emergency room, where nothing she saw ever bothered her.  

Pat loved her cats, dogs and gerbils. There was always at least one animal in the house since she got married. You could find her feeding chipmunks by hand in her yard, enjoying watching all kinds of birds at her feeders, and bestowing this love of animals to her children. She loved listening to music, especially the Big Bands, to which she and Bob used to Jitterbug when they were dating, 1950’s crooners, to which she would sing along.  

When there was a sick plant, she was the person to bring it back to health. She loved digging in the dirt, tending her garden and her favorite - begonias.  

Pat loved her desserts and was known to scoop out the middle of the ice cream container for the “good stuff” and could eat corn on the cob in neat rows. Bonomo’s Dari Creme was her favorite place for hot fudge sundaes and burgers with sweet potato fries, and her favorite diner has been Breakfast at Tiffanys. She was so pleased when the staff at both places would take the time to come over to greet her in person. 

Pat enjoyed shopping for funny birthday cards with her daughters and laughed hysterically in the aisle with them until tears flowed. That was the sign of a fun day.  

She was concerned later in life that people thought she was younger than she was or that maybe she colored her hair, because her hair was slow to turn gray.  

At Christmas time Pat would make dozens of chocolate chip cookies and hand deliver them to the post office and the church rectory, just to show her appreciation for their helpfulness throughout the year. 

Pat enjoyed watching all kinds of sports, especially college football and basketball.  In the 1960’s, she and Bob would attend the Clinton Comets hockey games at the Clinton Arena. She would ring her cowbell and could be heard shouting with excitement. Pat had many fond memories of her time growing up in the Cornhill neighborhood on Brinkerhoff Ave. During the summer she went swimming with friends at Addison Miller Pool. 

She taught her family that there is humor in every situation, that family is the most important thing of all and how to persevere through difficult times. Most of all, her family appreciated her unconditional love and support. 

Survivors include her children: Richard Sheridan of Clinton; Jeanne (Santo) Salvaggio of Rochester; Judy (Phil) Owens of Forestport; Mary Ann (Joseph) Bean of Utica; Barbara (Marc) Barron of Delmar. 

Also surviving, her grandchildren: Amy (Kevin) Faircloth, Jill (Thad) Johnston, Michael (Lidija) Salvaggio, Patrick Bean, Matthew (Cassie) Barron, Christopher Barron (Francesca DiGiorgio); Great-grandchildren: Mason and Kelsey Faircloth, Mya and Elijah Johnston, Emily and Daniel Salvaggio, Benjamin Barron; and many nieces and nephews. 

In addition to her parents and husband, Pat was predeceased by her sisters, Ethel R. Magee and Rosemary (Robert) Moran, her brother, John F. (Joan) Magee, sister-in-law Rita M. (Robert) Studley, daughter-in-law Diana Sheridan. 

Instead of flowers, please consider St. Mary’s Memorial Fund, 13 Marvin Street, Clinton, NY 13323 or 4Petsake Food Pantry, P.O. Box 216 Mohawk, NY 13407.

All are invited to call Sunday, June 8, 2025, from 2-4pm at Owens-Pavlot & Rogers Funeral Service, 35 College St., Clinton.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10am Monday, June 9, 2025, at St. Mary’s Church, Marvin St., Clinton. She will be laid to rest at St. Mary’s Cemetery.