Patricia Marie Agres

A fifth generation Colorado Springs native, Patricia Marie was born at St. Francis Hospital on March 29, 1949, to parents John and Jewel Meyer. Growing up in a military family, Pat spent many of her childhood years in Bad Kissigen and Hohenfelds, Germany. She loved sharing fond memories of school ski days and weekend adventures exploring European castles. Her family eventually moved back to the States, and she graduated from high school in Frasier, Michigan. She went on to attend Michigan State University, where she was awarded a B.A. in Human Ecology. Mere days after college commencement, and just two days before her 22nd birthday, Pat married her college sweetheart, Stuart Agres, at Selfridge Air Force Base in Harrison, Michigan. Stuart and Pat spent their first years of marriage outside of Chicago, Illinois, where Pat started her life-long teaching career. In 1977 they welcomed their first daughter, Jori Lynn. Two years later, in 1979, Pat moved with her family to Golden, Colorado. Although this stay in Colorado would only last a few years, it was here that she discovered and cultivated a love for Montessori education, which would last a lifetime. In 1983 the family relocated once again, this time to Greenwich, Connecticut. Pat continued teaching primary school and further dedicated herself to Montessori, serving as the head of the American Montessori Center. Throughout her career Pat influenced generations of young minds, both in and out of the classroom. Advancing her own education, she earned her Masters in Education from the University of Bridgeport. While living in Connecticut, Stuart and Pat welcomed the birth of their younger daughter, Alicia Darleen. In 1998, Stuart, Pat, and Alicia resettled in Colorado Springs. Being back in her hometown, Pat greatly enjoyed spending time with her parents, sister, and extended family. After an illustrious and rewarding career in teaching, she founded and funded the Adduce Foundation in 2004. The Foundation greatly impacted countless high school students in the local community, offering weekend art workshops and college scholarships to assist and encourage a passion for the visual arts. A lifelong learner herself, Pat relished the opportunity to participate alongside the students, experiencing new artistic mediums and techniques. In her free time, Pat lived for adventure. While on vacation in Hawaii for her 65th birthday, she jumped out of an airplane. One of her favorite recent memories was driving a Porsche at high speeds on a mountain ice course. She also loved discovering new places and meeting new people, both at home and abroad. Pat is survived by her husband, children, sister, many friends, and hundreds of students whose lives she touched.