Patricia Catherine Wagner Smith

Patricia Catherine Wagner Smith, 77, died August 27. Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Aug. 26, 1945, she was the third of six children born to George and Anne Marie Wagner. She was married to the love of her life, Wayne D. Smith, for 49 years before his death in 2016. She and Wayne lived all over the country before they found their true home in Inman Park in Atlanta. The couple lovingly restored a Victorian house during the pioneer days of the neighborhood when most houses were condemned or perhaps should have been. Pat and Wayne were part of the community’s revitalization, offering wisdom, enthusiasm, hard work and love of brunch to fellow pioneers. She and Wayne were active members of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart for decades. Pat’s vocation in life was nursing. She trained at St. Joseph's School of Nursing at the University of Pittsburgh and later earned her master’s degree in nursing from Georgia State University. She worked in the newborn nursery at Georgia Baptist Medical Center and went on to be a patient educator to new mothers. With her advanced degree, Pat went on to work at the Atlanta Women’s and Children’s Shelter, offering play therapy to kids seeking refuge. Miss Pat was a second mom to many.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and two brothers. She leaves behind a brother, George Wagner of California; a sister, Joan Wagner of Michigan; three children: Daniel, Michele (Tim) Palmer and Maureen (Jeff Amy), all of Atlanta; and six grandchildren: Daniel Smith; Timothy and Edward Palmer; Catherine and Nicole Amy and Eldon (Catherine) Stegall. She also leaves devoted friend Kimberly Rose. The family would like to thank the staff at Benton House of Decatur and the Inman Park community for all they have done.

Visitation followed by a rosary is on Wednesday, Sept. 7, from 5-7 p.m. at H.M. Patterson & Son - Oglethorpe Hill Chapel, 4550 Peachtree Rd NE, Brookhaven, GA 30319. A funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday, Sept. 8, at 10 a.m., at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Atlanta with a reception to follow. Burial will be at Honey Creek Woodlands in Conyers at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in Patricia Smith’s honor to one of the Georgia Nurses Association scholarship funds at Georgia Nurses Foundation (GNF) | Georgia Nurses Association | Nursing Network.