Pat LoCascio

Patricia “Pat” Minshull LoCascio was born August 20, 1929 and died of pneumonia on April 26, 2018 at Anne Arundel County Medical Center, after having lived what she called at the close, “a good life.” She was the widow of Charles Ross LoCascio, her husband of nearly 50 years, and the only child of “Pat” Olive Elisabeth Minshull and Wallace “Scottie” James Minshull.

Pat, or Patty as her mother called her, was a Renaissance woman over the course of her 88 years, exploring careers and avocations with the passion and curiosity she brought to everything she attempted. She lived much of her early life in Norfolk, Virginia, graduating from Norview High School at the age of 16. Eschewing college, she trained as a nurse at St. Vincent DePaul Hospital in Norfolk but left before receiving her certificate, opting instead to become a Barbizon Model in New York City. She returned to Norfolk to work as a photojournalist at the Virginian Pilot/Ledger Star where her father worked as a copy editor. Her journalism career was a primary focus over her lifetime, working at the Fauquier Times in Fauquier County, VA, the Herald-Mail in Hagerstown, Maryland, the Evening Capital in Annapolis, and the former Baltimore News American. She also worked with the communications department of the Maryland State Teachers Association.

Pat’s interest in politics led her to play a significant role in the former President John F. Kennedy’s 1960 campaign swing through Virginia as well as to manage the campaign, and then join the staff, of United States Representative Marjorie S. Holt, who had married Pat and Charles four years earlier when Mrs. Holt was the Anne Arundel County Clerk of the Court. Pat launched her own campaigns for office, running for State Senate in Maryland’s District 34 in 1978, and Anne Arundel County Register of Wills in 1990.

Pat and her husband took every opportunity they could to be on the water and spent many years enjoying the Chesapeake Bay on their boat, “Our Love.”

Toward the end of her career she became a realtor, working for Gary Hart/Coldwell Banker. She retired in 2003 and moved to Florida where she and her husband lived until his death in 2016.

Aside from her children and grand-children, Pat adored her many dogs, raising and showing Great Danes, at one time in Madison Square Garden. Lily, a chihuahua, was the last in a succession of many canine loves.

Pat is survived by her children, Dyan Alexander and Patrick Gonzales of Annapolis, MD; Donna Wilson of Rising Sun, IN and Jaime Gonzales of Chadds Ford, PA as well as her grand-children, Yancey Smith of Kirkland, WA, Gabriel Mamock of Nassau, Bahamas, Meghan Day and Elizabeth Byers of Annapolis, MD, Sarah Wertz of Sterling, VA and Megan Cuthrell of Culpepper, VA; and 13 great-grandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held at St. Margaret’s Church in Annapolis, MD at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 2. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the SPCA of Anne Arundel County, 1815 Bay Ridge Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403.