Patricia Jean Shannon

Patricia “Pat” Jean Shannon, 82, of Vernon, CT, died on February 1, 2026. Born in Norwich, CT on December 20, 1943 to Philip and Stella (Frankoff) Shannon, Pat spent her childhood in the Laurel Hill and Greenville neighborhoods of Norwich, CT.

Pat attended the Greenville School and was an exemplary student at Norwich Free Academy (NFA) - participating in the drum corp and girls sports for four years in addition to being active in French Club, Student Government, and National Honor Society during her junior and senior years - before graduating in 1961. She received a BS in Mathematics at the College of New Rochelle (NY) in 1965. Following graduation, she worked as a computer programmer at The Cigna Group campus in Bloomfield, CT and Travelers Insurance in Hartford, CT.

After a decade-long break from her career to start and raise a family, Pat worked at the Coast Guard Academy as a Systems Analyst before distinguishing herself as a successful project manager and vice president at Sonalyst, Inc. (Waterford, CT) and project manager at The Hartford (Hartford, CT).

Following retirement, she was drawn to spiritual healing and started her own Shamanic counseling practice, Andean Bliss. Incredibly active, Pat played tennis, paddleball, and pickleball into her eighties. She especially loved the beach, and Pat could often be found riding waves, playing ping pong, Kadima, and frisbee, and leading family on walks at Misquamicut, RI, as well as beaches up and down the east coast. She also read voraciously, traveled extensively, and spent time with dear friends.

Affectionately known as “Mimi” to her five grandsons, Pat was a wonderfully loving mom and grandmother. Blessed with a creative and energetic spirit, she loved devising scavenger hunts, playing games of all kinds, puzzling for hours, writing and directing “family” plays, and making personalized cards filled with photos and special messages.

Pat’s thoughtfulness, deep wisdom, and powers of perception led many family and friends to seek her out for advice, support, and guidance.

Her sharp intellect, boundless energy, genial personality, and thoughtful leadership were noteworthy, but it was her selfless support of friends and family, and the deep love she shared with those close to her, that will be missed most.

Patricia is survived by her sons, Christopher P. Hinchey and wife Heather (Brown) Hinchey and grandsons, Ryan, Jack, and William of Columbia, SC; Brendan S. Hinchey and his wife Terri (Burzycki) Hinchey and grandsons, Camden and Cohan of Mystic, CT; her brother, Joe Shannon (Middletown, RI), and nephew, Jonathan Hull (Harwinton, CT), and nieces, Jody (Hull) Rumelili (Alexandria, VA), Lacy (Shannon) Omer (Big Sur, CA), Catherine Shannon (Storrs, CT), brother-in-law Dale Immel (Lorton, VA), and numerous cousins and great nephews and nieces, and their families. Pat was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters, Stephanie (Shannon) Immel and Jeanne E. Shannon.

On Monday, February 16, 2026, there will be a Memorial Mass at Saints Peter and Paul Church (181 Elizabeth St., Norwich, CT) for friends and family at 9:00 a.m. A brunch reception at the Norwich Inn and Spa (607 W. Thames St., Norwich, CT) will immediately follow the service.

Memorial donations may be made to the Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital (YNHCH) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) - 20 York Street, New Haven, CT 06510 - in memory of Patricia J. Shannon and in honor of Brendan S. Hinchey.