Patrick James Coglianese

Patrick James Coglianese, 22, of Jupiter, Florida, passed away unexpectedly on October 17, 2023. Patrick is survived by his twin sister, Shannon, his mother, Ann Marie, his father, Matt, his grandmother, Rosemary, and his aunts, uncles, and cousins in California and Florida.

Patrick was a true, natural artist whether it be building Legos from the age of three, model bridges from wood sticks, or drawings of people or military battles, all conjured from visions in his head. Patrick never sketched out anything ahead of time, but just visualized the final result. And he always nailed it.

Patrick parlayed these skills into becoming a lead granite installer for all types of projects throughout the region. He was proud of his ability and hoped to use his talent and experience as a path to owning his own business.

Patrick was a natural beacon for younger children. They lined up behind him in middle school, and when he was a counselor at an aquatic summer camp in Jupiter, the campers would greet him with a collective shout of “Patrick”, much like the patrons who greeted “Norm” in Cheers.

Patrick loved to fish, particularly for snook in Jupiter. And he really did catch the big ones and the ones that “got away” were rare. Fishing made Patrick happy and content, even when he didn’t catch anything and provided him with a sense of comfort and equanimity that he rarely felt otherwise.

But Patrick’s real passion was military history, particularly the battles and strategies of World War 2 and the Vietnam War. When Patrick was 10, he said to his father: “Dad, I know more about World War 2 than you do.” When he was 14, Patrick and his dad began participating in WW2 events as soldiers in the U.S. Army’s First Infantry Division’s (the “Big Red One”). They fought side by side over several years of military reenactments throughout Florida, with Patrick being promoted to corporal. Later, Patrick put together many Vietnam-era Army and Marine “impressions” and staged more reenactments. Patrick, as he did with all his passions, was a stickler for detail and strove for authenticity. Several American veterans of foreign wars complimented Patrick on that authenticity. He was very proud of that. There is no doubt that Patrick could have taught military history. But Patrick’s life was tragically cut short, and he’ll never get that chance.

While we yearn for Patrick’s physical presence for just one more day; that will never be. But for those who knew the real Patrick, the happiness that enveloped him as he shared his passions will remain as a bright beacon in our hearts and minds forever.

So, farewell to our not so little “Little Buddy”. Your gigantic heart, sensitivity and beautiful soul will guide us the rest of the way. We miss you. We love you.