Patricia Carolyn Eby McKeough

From her earliest years in Skokie, Pat’s steady affection for living things was unmistakable. She grew up with her parents and brother, and her home life included the kind of tenderhearted care that made room even for beloved baby squirrels—small, spirited visitors who, in their search for peanuts, wreaked havoc on the neighborhood. She later attended the American Academy of Art, a fitting beginning for a life shaped by creativity and a deep appreciation for the arts.

Pat was an artist throughout her life, painting first in oil and later in acrylic. Pat disliked being called “retired,” but in her later years she visited Paris, traveled through Europe, and especially enjoyed river cruises.

Pat loved animals and, over the years, adopted and rehabilitated many. She also loved nature and plants, and her care for the natural world was reflected in the certification of her backyard as a natural wildlife habitat by the World Wildlife Federation (which later became the World Wildlife Fund). She found joy in community as well—spending many years on a bowling league and continuing weekly breakfasts with some of the ladies from her team long after they left the league.

A life marked by giving was, for Pat, a daily practice. Whether it was a $20 bill pressed into someone’s hand on the way out the door, an item someone wanted or needed, or a donation made quietly and without hesitation, her generosity was both instinctive and steadfast. She volunteered for many years at the food pantry through her church, grateful for the chance to help families in need, and she contributed to nearly any organization or individual who required support.

Patricia was married to Michael in 1983. She was the mother of Samantha Anne Eby McKeough (Taylor) and her chosen child Heather Cairone. Pat carried herself with warmth and optimism, a strong and unmistakable point of view, and a sincere inclination to believe the best in people. She will be remembered for her unconditional love for every person and animal who entered her life. Her favorite saying, “This too shall pass,” remains a quiet, steady comfort to those who loved her.

Patricia will be greatly missed by her husband, Michael John McKeough; her daughter, Samantha Anne Taylor; her chosen daughter, Heather Cairone; her granddaughters, Harper Rose Taylor and Avery Parker Taylor; her brother, Charles Richard Eby; and her son-in-law, Robert John Taylor II.

Visitation will be held at Querhammer & Flagg Funeral Home, 500 West Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake, IL 60014, on November 7, 2026, from 12pm to 2pm. A memorial service will follow at 2pm.

For those wishing to make a contribution in Pat's name, you might consider one of the many charities she supported, the World Wildlife Fund, the Nature Conservancy or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.