Patricia Mary Cantwell

Patricia Mary Boswell Cantwell was born in Auckland, New Zealand to Arthur and Miriam Boswell on February 10, 1930. Pat was the youngest of three children and grew up on farms in rural areas in New Zealand. After high school she became a registered nurse and completed her nursing degree. Pat then became a flight attendant for Air New Zealand, at a time when flight attendants were required to be nurses. Some of her accomplishments in her youth included being an avid horse rider, singing the lead role in several high school operas, and being the runner-up in the Miss New Zealand pageant.

In 1955 she met Dr. Ronald Cantwell, who was returning home to New Zealand from the Korean War, where he was a Captain in the N.Z. Army. It was love at first sight. Patricia and Ron courted briefly and were married in London, England in 1955.

Upon returning to New Zealand in 1957, they moved to the Hawkes Bay region where Pat was a prodigious homemaker, sewing and knitting the family's clothes as well as single handedly rearing five children without any local family support.

In 1968 Patricia and Ron moved to the Baltimore, Maryland before settling in Miami where Pat continued her career as an ICU nurse at Cedars of Lebanon Medical Center. She eventually became the head nurse manager of the open-heart ICU and coronary care units. Pat continued her education and obtained a bachelor's degree at Barry University then a master’s in health management at St. Thomas University in Miami. Pat did all her studies in the evening after a full shift at the hospital, never complaining about fatigue or her heavy workload. As a member of her professional association, the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), she served on the Seminar Committee for continuing education and eventually became its chairperson.

Patricia was very civic minded and was a volunteer docent guide at the Vizcaya museum in Miami, and was also actively involved in her condominium association. In 1992, she successfully lead the effort to evacuate the intensive care patients from Miami’s Mercy Hospital prior to Hurricane Andrew, which was quite a harrowing experience.

In 2016, after Pat and Ron had been retired for a number of years, they decided to move to the Lenbrook retirement community in Atlanta to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Pat was always thinking of others and sought out opportunities to give back to her community. She made many friends at Lenbrook and was engaged in many activities including a stitching group (which knitted caps and made blankets for the premature babies at Grady Hospital NICU), book and movie groups, a coffee club, and she enjoyed being competitive at any board or card game. Patricia brought joy wherever she went and touched the hearts of many, including residents and staff alike.

Pat had a strong faith in God and was a lifelong Presbyterian. As an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, she served several terms as Clerk of Session at First Presbyterian Church of Miami. She loved attending church services with her family and worship services at Lenbrook.

Pat and Ron were married for 69 years when he passed away September, 2024. Patricia is survived by five children: Shirley Davis (Michael Davis), Christopher Cantwell, Anne-Maree Cantwell (James Milojkovic), Ross Cantwell (Roxie O'Neil), and Susan O'Farrell (Hugh O' Farrell); and seven grandchildren: Emily Cantwell, Kevin Davis, Lauren Davis, Olivia Cantwell, Connor O’Farrell, Logan O’Farrell, and Kylie O’Farrell.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Patricia’s name to “Lenbrook Friends of the Arts” here.