Patrick Aubry

April 23, 1920- August 3, 2011

Patrick William Aubry was born in Flint, Michigan on April 23, 1920. He died on August 3, 2011, at the age of 91. He was the sixth child born to Joseph James and Hazel Kuhn Aubry. His mother was hospitalized with what today we call postpartum depression. The children were placed in foster care where Mrs. Rosa Friend saw Pat and persuaded Joseph to hire her as housekeeper and make a home for all the children. Joseph secured a job in Buffalo, New York and moved the household. Mrs. Friend and Joseph had a falling out and Rosa took Pat with her to Lansing, Michigan in the late 1930’s. She also had renamed Pat, William (Bill) Aubry, so this is the name on his school records and the name that his Michigan friends know. The family calls him Bus, short for Buster. Pat attended Buffalo, NY and Lansing, MI schools, graduating from Port Huron High School in 1939. He attended Port Huron Junior College, leaving in 1941 for the Army Air Corps. Using his GI Bill, he entered Clarkson College of Technology, graduating in 1951. The Army required him to use his birth certificate name, so after 1941 he became Patrick or Pat. In Michigan, he was on championship basketball teams both in High School and in Junior College. He lettered in basketball and baseball. Into his eighties, he played softball. During college, he started umpiring youth and adult baseball. In 1950, he became interested in Little League Baseball and for the next 40 years, he umpired or coached. When on the District 44 Board of Directors, he organized the District’s Senior Little League Division. Pat was happiest coaching any sport and his joy was to be called “Coach.”

Pat married Virginia Sullivan on December 9, 1950 in Bennington, Vermont. They had three children Patricia Anne, Jynes (Joseph), San Jose, CA; Linda Gayle (Roger) Aiken, Sylva, North Carolina and Martin Joseph (Rhonda) Aubry Felton, California. The grandchildren are Cynthia (Donald) Amster, Raleigh, NY; Jesse Aiken, Sylva, NC and Miranda Joy Aubry, Felton, CA; the great-grandchildren are Aubrey Claire & Isabella Grace Amster.

In Michigan, Pat held jobs with various companies while attending high school and junior college. Pat’s first post college job was with Bell Areosystems in Buffalo, NY where he joined his father and brother. At Bell Areosystems he was a member of the winning softball team and earned various individual, as well as team, trophies.

Pat and Virginia bought a house in Buffalo, NY which they left in 1962 when they moved to San Jose, CA. There they bought the house they lived in for the rest of their lives.

At Lockheed, he established the Chess Club with Jim Hurt. He also formed the Table Tennis Club. Under Lockheed Sponsorship, Jim and Pat held many successful Open Chess Tournaments. After retirement, he coached the Sunnyvale, CA Senior Center Table Tennis Club taking members to Senior Tournaments throughout the USA. He participated in the Senior Olympics for several years in running, table tennis and tennis. His Senior Softball Team traveled the whole USA to tournaments.

His parents, his sisters: Mrs. Norman (Gloria) Guildner, Mrs. Gordon (Virginia) Foster, brothers Joseph (Helen) Aubry and Kenneth Jay (Lee) Aubry preceded Pat in death. His children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, several nephews, nieces, great nephews, great nieces, and great, great nephews and nieces survive him.

Funeral arrangements are with the Lima Funeral Home in San Jose, CA and with the Garner Funeral Service in Potsdam, NY. Burial will be held on Friday, August 12, 2011 at 2 pm at the Bayside Cemetery in Potsdam, NY with Rev. Joanna Loucky-Ramsey officiating.