Connie Connie Shortell Pattee

April 7, 1932 – July 24, 2016

Connie Pattee, loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and sister, passed away peacefully on Sunday, July 24th, following a stroke at Fairfax Hospital surrounded by her children, two grandchildren, a son-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Connie was born in Manchester, NH, and moved to Salem, MA in grade school, where she met her husband, Arthur William “Bill” Pattee, Captain, US Navy, Retired. Bill was her brother Paul’s best friend and Connie promptly teased Paul about her first date with “one of his friends.” Bill and Connie were married at the Immaculate Conception Church in Salem, MA on Feb. 2, 1957, and lived in Brooklyn, NY, Naples, Italy, Norfolk, VA, and Newport, RI, before settling in Fairfax, VA in 1972. They enjoyed 59 years of marriage, raised five children and have 11 grandchildren. She was very proud to be a Navy wife and mother.

Connie was an amazing woman, with an easy smile and wonderful laugh, and a “never-absent twinkle in her eye.” She cherished her childhood memories with her four brothers, a sister and cousins. She loved singing, reading, swimming - especially at the beach, knitting sweaters, scarves, slipper socks and hats, teaching her children and grandchildren nursery rhymes and prayers, and cruising the world with her husband and family. She also took excellent care of her children, helping them with boy scout activities, soccer games, and music lessons. She tirelessly cared for and instilled in her daughter a can-do attitude about living with CF; Suzanne, age 52, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF) at 6 months of age and given only a few years to live.

A strong advocate for education, Connie graduated from Salem High School in 1950, earned her teaching degree from Salem Teachers College in 1954, and taught grade school. After several of her children left for college, she earned her masters degree in guidance and counseling at George Mason University in 1985, and worked as a guidance counselor. She was a member of St. Leo the Great Catholic Church for 43 years and taught CCD.

A big history buff, she shared her love of history as a teenage tour guide at the Salem Witch House, and later at Sully Plantation where she demonstrated spinning. In 1990, she received Sully Plantation’s highest award, the Clarity Award, for 15 years of service, where she delighted in making history come alive for, as she stated, “future leaders of Virginia, the school children.” She also received special recognition at the Volunteer Activist Awards of the Washington Metropolitan Area in 1982, and was recognized as an outstanding volunteer for Fairfax County Park Authority’s Division of Historic Preservation. She served on the board of Historic Fairfax City from 1993-1996, and volunteered at the Fairfax City Museum and Visitor Center until 2015. She compiled family genealogy for the Shortell and Pattee families. She volunteered for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and at her children’s schools, Oakton High School and Fairfax High School. She headed up the Mosby Woods Garden Club and the Mosby Woods Bridge Club, and welcomed neighbors to the Mosby Woods pool. After moving to The Virginian in August 2015, she enjoyed seeing former neighbors and bridge club pals.

Connie is survived by her loving family including her husband, Bill of Fairfax, VA; and children, Bill of Solvang, CA; John of Poulsbo, WA; Jim of Manassas, VA; Suzanne of Silver Spring, MD, and Steve of Kennesaw, GA; their spouses, and 11 grandchildren. Other family members include her brother Jim Shortell of Lincoln, NH; cousin Mary Cronin of Peabody, MA; sisters-in-law: Barbara Pattee Healey of Peabody, MA; Claire Shortell of Belmont, MA; Mary Shortell of Los Angeles, CA; Kathy Shortell of Thousand Oaks, CA; best friends, Jan and Lee Cueroni, Commander, US Navy, Retired, of New Port Richey, FL, as well as her nieces and nephews.

She is predeceased by her parents, Albert and Ruth Shortell of Salem, MA, and four siblings, Albert Shortell, Jr., of Belmont, MA; Paul Shortell of Los Angeles, CA; Robert Shortell of Thousand Oaks, CA; and Maureen Shortell Mattraw of Danville, CA.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to:

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6931 Arlington Road, Bethesda, MD 20814

1-800-FIGHT CF

http://tribute.tributecff.org/conniepattee

Funeral arrangements

Viewing

Thursday, July 28th, 6-8 p.m.

Location: Demaine Funeral Home, 10565 Main St., Fairfax, VA 22030

Tribute page: www.dignitymemorial.com

Funeral Mass

Friday, July 29th, 11 a.m.

Location: Guadalupe Room (Old Parish Hall behind the church on the left)

St. Leo the Great Catholic Church, 3700 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030

Irish Wake and Buffet Lunch to Follow

Location: PJ Skidoos, 9908 Fairfax Blvd., Fairfax, VA 22030

Burial to follow at later date at Arlington National Cemetery