Patricia A. Massie

Patricia was educated in the Philadelphia public school system. She was a proud graduate of Germantown High School class of 1958. She was raised by Helen and her step-father John Carroll. After school she went to work for Bell Telephone, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, the U.S. Postal Service System and several other federal agencies until her retirement after 33 years in 1996.

While working at for the Postal Service System she met Donald Harris. They married and from this union two children Darin Ray Harris and Dawn Michele Harris (Patterson), were produced. It wasn’t a forever union but Pat eventually met Bland Massie, whom she married in 1968. This union lasted until his death in 1994.

What Pat lacked in siblings, she made up for in friends. Pat was very social. She liked to dance, play cards and travel. In the early 70’s she became very active with the Acolytes at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church after females were allowed to be acolytes. She allowed Dawn to join. In the church acolytes, the boys outnumbered the girls significantly, (at least 8 – 1). Pat’s initial involvement probably had less to do with wanting to wash vestments and more to do with keeping an eye on the young men around her daughter. The boys started calling her Momma Massie. Because of her short stature, it didn’t take long for most of the Acolytes to tower over her and to start making “short jokes”. With the start of the St. Luke’s Youth Theatre Fellowship, it wasn’t long before Pat was chaperoning trips, fund raising, working the casino nights, making hoagies or putting together spaghetti dinners.

Pat was a firm believer in acknowledging life events. As many of her friends and relatives can attest to, Pat never missed an opportunity to send a birthday, anniversary, Valentine’s Day or new baby card to name a few. If Hallmark made the card, Pat’s mission was to find it, regardless of how many stores she chose to visit.

Pat eventually began working on the Bereavement Committee at St. Luke’s which was another opportunity to send out cards. She enjoyed helping visiting families find their way around the church. Pat was happiest when she could tell folks what to do, which is something all of her volunteer opportunities allowed her to do. Pat very rarely held back her opinion on something. Even as a grandmother, she could never quite take off the parent hat, unless you count the time she let her grandson eat the whole box of Aunt Jemima mini pancakes when he was 8.

Pat was predeceased by her parents, Helen and John, her step-father, John, her spouse Bland and her son Darin. She leaves to mourn her daughter Dawn Patterson (Rick), “adopted” son Michael Scantling (Patricia), granddaughter Shannon Julia (Edison), grandsons Joshua Patterson (Victoria), Darin Harris, Jr. “Dray”, Devan Harris, cousins Lynda Murray-Jackson (Andre) and Dorothy Walker. She also leaves three goddaughters, Sunday Ross, Joy Henderson and Justine Pearson, a host of friends, “adopted sons” and relatives.