In Memory: Patricia Mary Matteson (Tegan), Age 79

Patricia Mary Matteson (Tegan), 79, of Barton, VT died on August 16, 2024 at the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative and Hospice Care at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH. She passed away with family members at her bedside following complications related to stage four metastatic breast cancer diagnosed just a few short months ago.

Patricia, also known as Tricia, Pat, Patty and Aunt Tree, was born on September 9, 1944 to Andrew Lawrence Tegan Jr. and Marjorie Ursula Tegan (Sillery) in Mount Vernon, NY where she spent her childhood and youth.

She attended The Academy of the Resurrection High School in Rye, NY, and attained her Associate’s Degree in Marketing from Westchester Community College. Later, she earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Iona College in New Rochelle, NY.

Patricia spent her working years as a legal secretary, taking an early retirement from IBM and then working at a number of law firms for many years. She lived in New Rochelle, NY for much of her life, until moving to Barton, VT in 2005 to be close to her beloved sister.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Andrew and Marjorie and her brother Andrew Tegan. Patricia is survived by her sister and brother-in-law MaryLou and Stephen Malachuk III, as well as many nieces and nephews and their children. These include the children of her pre-deceased brother and sister-in-law Andrew and Sandra Tegan: Andrew (children Jarrod and Danielle) and wife Donna (children Richie and Joseph); Deborah and partner Mark; John (and son Jonathan); Sandra and husband Phil; Robert and wife Amanda (children Bella and Rosie); Rick and wife Indiana (children Jacob and Josh); and the children of MaryLou and Stephen: Kristin and partner Joe; Stephen IV and wife Rachel (children Stephen V, Ariel, and Matti), and Michael. She is also survived by many first and second cousins who she loved very much, in particular her cousin Elizabeth Larkin, who she lived with for many years.

Patricia was a kind and loving family member and friend, who often thought of small ways to make others smile. She also loved gardening and “working the land” when she was able, earning her the nickname of Farmer Pat during her Vermont years. She enjoyed reading, writing, black coffee, Ovaltine, the number 9-4-4, casino trips, the Hallmark channel, and whole wheat bagels with veggie cream cheese. Most of all, she channeled her love, passion and energy into her family, friends, and her many dogs and cat over the years, who she loved with all her heart and took great joy in spending time with. She was also very spiritual and you would often hear her proudly state that she “accepted Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior on June 15, 1977.” Her quirky personality and heart of gold will be sorely missed, and the gap she has left behind in her family is already deeply felt.

A funeral mass will take place at the Church of the Resurrection in Rye, NY on August 30 at 10:00am. Interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, NY will follow.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers that a donation be made to either St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital – a favorite of Patricia’s, or to the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative and Hospice Care at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center.