Patricia McKinney

Patricia Alice (Corcoran) McKinney, 86, of East Hartford, CT passed away December 28, 2020 with her loving family by her side after her courageous battle with Alzheimer’s Disease and Congestive Heart Failure.

Born in Providence RI on St. Patrick’s Day and growing up in East Providence, Pat lived in Newport and Jamaica Plains during her career, settling in East Hartford, CT with her loving husband, Harvey. She later resided with her daughter, Linda, in Manchester, Mansfield, and then returned to East Hartford.

Pat was very proud to have had 12 years of Catholic School education, followed by a year at Salve Regina College. She left college to start her career as a Medical Technologist, with positions at Newport Hospital and Boston Children’s Hospital. She was a member of a team doing ground-breaking work in blood-typing, which allowed her to travel around the world to assist in lectures on their research. She retired from Quest Diagnostics following being able to be a stay-at-home Mom.

Pat was a member of Our Lady of Peace Church for decades and was a continuous volunteer in her daughters’ classrooms before rising to President of the PTA, then PTO, at Barnes School. She also volunteered through the Church and the East Hartford Senior Center. Pat loved both golf and bowling, being a member of 2 leagues of each following her retirement. She was also proud to be a member of the Ladies Shooting Club at Rockville Fish and Game for years. Pat had a great sense of humor and was always quick with a one-liner. Even as her Alzheimer’s progressed, she never lost that “wiseguy” wit.

Pat is survived by, and will be dearly missed by: her daughters- Gail Livingstone and her husband, Jayson, of Thompson, CT and Linda Russell and her fiancé Ed Fenton of East Hartford, CT, as well as her grandson Michael, to whom she was always “Nanny”. She will also be missed by her sister-in-law, Joan Corcoran, niece Karen and nephew / Godson Peter and his wife Connie, and great-nieces and nephew Erin, Erik, Kelly and Katie and their children, and her nieces Kathleen and Alyson and their children and grandchildren. Pat also leaves wonderful friends: Anna Marie Samulis, her friend for decades who was an angel to her in the last few years, and her friend Mary Lou Grant, whom she’d known since First Grade. Pat is predeceased by her beloved husband, Harvey, her parents, Edward and Alice Corcoran, her brothers Eddy and Jack Corcoran, her niece, Cindy, and nephew, Michael, as well as her best friend since First Grade, Betty Ward.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady of Peace Church in East Hartford at 10am on Saturday, January 2nd. Those wishing to pay respects may arrive between 9:30 and 10:00. Burial to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury, CT. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Pat’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association of Connecticut in Southington, www.act.alz.org.

For an online memorial, please visit www.newkirkandwhitney.com.