Patricia A. Sibley

Date of Birth

Sep 11,1932

Date of Death

Mar 21,2009

NAME Patricia A. Sibleyage 76, of Hinckley IL, formerly of Kaneville IL, passed away Saturday, March 21, 2009 at the home of her daughter, surrounded by the love of her family. BORN: Pat was born September 11, 1932, in Louisville, KY, the daughter of Clarence T. and Anna L. (Murray) Smith.. EARLY YEARS :Pat grew up in Louisville and attended Loretto High School graduation in 1950. She went on to earn an RN graduating from Nazareth School of Nursing, Louisville, KY in 1953. EDUCATION: While raising a family of eight she went back to college and graduated Magnum Cum Laude with a BA in nursing at Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, in 1982. MARRIAGE Pat was united in marriage to Charles Sibley of Lincoln NE October 1955 in Louisville, KY. RESIDENTIAL HISTORY: They made their home in several towns across the Midwest including, Omaha NE, Cedar Rapids IA, Chicago, Lombard, and Kaneville, IL before making her final home in Hinckley, IL. All eight children attended and graduated from Kaneland High School, Maple Park, IL. OCCUPATION / WORK HISTORY In addition to her love of family and community, Pat found her passion in nursing and specialized in the care of paraplegic and quadriplegic veterans at the V.A. Hines Hospital in Maywood, IL. At Hines, Pat was instrumental in the care and research of spinal cord injuries. Pat was one of the founders of the Nurses of the Veterans Administration Association (NOVA) and co-founder of the American Association of Spinal Cord Injury Nurses (AASCA). Several of Pat’s research and works were published in scientific journals. She retired from the VA in 1998. MEMBERSHIPS Pat was a faithful member and Lector of St. Gall Church, Elburn and dedicated many years to various Catholic ministries, including the RCIA. She was a member of the Hinckley Homemakers, YMCA, and The Life Long Learning program at Northern Illinois University. Always one to give back to her community in various ways, Pat was also elected to the Kaneville Township Library Board as well as the Kane County Library board and was a strong supporter of Hinckley Library. Wherever she served, she helped to raise the awareness, visibility and viability of the libraries. LIFE NOTES Pat’s faith and passion for life created positive influences on the people she met. She was the matriarch of the family. Her strength and perseverance was evident in everything thing she did and was an example of what a "mom" should be to her eight children. Pat worked at night, raised her family and attended Northern Illinois University, graduation with honors in 1992. Pat was instrumental in bringing positive change to disabled veteran. Pat strove to correct disparities in treatment and rehabilitation of severely injured veterans. Pat’s significant contribution to veteran care was her emphasis on returning and restoring the disabled veterans to their families and communities, instead of facing a lifetime in a hospital ward. Following her retirement from the Veterans Administration, Pat became the consummate traveler. Whether it was traveling on camels across the desert, backpacking through the Swiss Alps and much of France, riding elephants in Nepal, attending Shakespeare festivals here and abroad to being on the maiden flight of Buddha Air and seeing the Himalayas from a much different perspective, traveling to Alaska and taking the St. Paul Tour around the Greek Islands, Pat filled her passport with stamps and made enough memories to fill two lifetimes. She was a lover of music, especially Opera. She had season tickets to the Chicago Symphony Opera and reveled in it’s music and drama as the brilliance of Mozart, Puccini and the traditional Italian Opera washed over her time and time again. An avid reader, Pat loved to disappear into the twists and turns of traditional mysteries though she could be just as thrilled with 18th century literature and volumes on American History. Above all else, her faith and family were her bedrock. There was nothing that she wouldn’t do for her children and grandchildren. It didn’t matter if you called at 2 a.m., she would travel across state lines just to be able to help in a time of need. The same could be said of the friendships that she attracted like Velcro. It only took a few moments for a stranger to become a friend, and there was none better than Pat. Her generosity of time, spirit and vast knowledge was a gift she gave freely. Pat was definitely one of a kind and though no one will ever be able to walk in her considerable footsteps, her memory and legacy will forever live in the hearts of those she loved. SURVIVORS She leaves eight children: Julia (Ron) Mical, Steve (Susan) Sibley, Tim (Priscille) Sibley, Mark Sibley, Peg (Curt) Braffet, Patrick (Mandy Fenske) Sibley, Michele (Roland) Gonzales and Lee Anne (Steve Berry) Sibley;Twelve grandchildren: Robert, Ethan and Cole Sibley, Meghan, Kristen and Kayla Braffet, Ann and Olivia Sibley, Marco and Mateo Gonzales and Julien, Morgan and Madelynn Sibley; Two great-grandchildren, Mia and Seivan Braffet; One brother Richard Smith of Tampa FL and a world filled with family of friends. PRECEDED She now joins her parents, husband Charles and her beloved sister Rita Smith Herr. VISITATION / FUNERAL Visitation will be Vfrom 1-6:45 p.m. with a wake service to conclude visitation at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 24, at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn, IL 60119. A Mass to celebrate her life will begin with a visitation at St. Gall Catholic Church, Elburn from 10:15 a.m. until the time of Mass at 11 a.m. Fr. Karl Ganss, pastor of the church, will officiate and interment will follow at St. Gall Cemetery, Elburn. MEMORIAL In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in her name to benefit her favorite charities. Checks may be made to the "Pat Sibley Memorial" and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, IL 60119. Tributes and memories may also be forwarded to the family at the same address or through www.conleycare.com.

Visitation will be from 1-6:45 p.m. with a wake service to conclude visitation at 7 p.m., Tuesday, March 24, at Conley Funeral Home, 116 W. Pierce St., Elburn, IL 60119. A Mass to celebrate her life will be held on Wed. March 25, 2009 with a visitation at St. Gall Catholic Church, Elburn from 10:15 a.m. until the time of Mass at 11 a.m. Fr. Karl Ganss, pastor of the church, will officiate.

Interment will follow at St. Gall Cemetery, Elburn.

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