Patricia Mickaliger

Patricia “Pat” Smith Mickaliger, formerly of Riverhead, passed away Aug. 29, 2013, in Sun City, Fla. She was 83 years old.

She was born in Ohio October 6, 1929, to Dorothy (Beckwith) and Alvin Smith. Soon after, the family moved to Gloversville, Ala., where she excelled scholastically throughout her education and was a competitive drum majorette during her high school years.

Pat made many trips to Riverhead to visit extended family while living in Alabama. During one of these visits she met her future husband, Ben. They married in 1949 and remained together for the next 64 years until his death July 23, 2013. They lived in Riverhead until 1983 then moved to Apollo Beach, Fla., where Pat obtained her realtor’s license and, until illness set in, volunteered to feed the elderly and regularly helped the Ruskin VFW Post with fundraising efforts.

Pat enjoyed reading, word games, refinishing antiques and gardening — orchids were her specialty. She was also an artist, working with everyday objects to create realistic “Mushies,” as she called them — half life-sized soft dolls that resembled friends and acquaintances — and using old costume jewelry to create beautiful scenes and pictures.

Pat is survived by her children, Teresa (“Terri”), Bernard (“Mike”) and Christine (“Chrissy”); her grandchildren, Rachal Wille and Dr. Mitchell Mickaliger; her great-grandchild, Kaia Wille; and her brother, Alvin “Billy” Smith.

A memorial Mass for Pat and Ben is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 27, 2013, at St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church in Riverhead, starting at 9 a.m. Their interment will follow at 11 a.m. at Calverton National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to East End Hospice, P.O. Box 1048, Westhampton Beach, NY 11978.

This is a paid notice.