Obituary

Patricia L. Waldman

Mon, 12/07/2020 - 8:30am

Patricia Lois Flynt Waldman was born in Augusta, Maine on Jan. 19, 1938 to Horton and Barbara (Burr) Flynt. Her life spanned just beyond eight decades and she packed every one full.

She was formally educated at the University of Maine at Orono (wildlife management), Monmouth College New Jersey (marine biology) and later received a degree in early childhood development. She met the love of her life and husband John Baird Waldman at Ocean Point Maine when they were nine years old and they began a lifelong partnership. The couple married on July 5, 1958 at ages 19 and 20. Together with their children they traveled the world as a military family. While living abroad she immersed herself in the culture mastering languages and making life long friends. They always returned to their beloved home in Maine and Ocean Point each summer.

Patricia was passionate about life, animals, children and John. She perceived strangers as “friends she hadn’t met.”

Her work career began in child development after her own children were in school. She worked in Title One in Monmouth, Maine then taught Head Start and was director of the program in Boothbay, Maine and then Freehold, New Jersey.

After returning to New Jersey 1980 she worked for the U.S. government’s defense department as a logistician again traveling the world specializing in satellite technology.

She and John finally retired to Ocean Point, Maine in 2000 where she continued her work with children at the Boothbay Region YMCA while also working with the library, garden club and writing the Ocean Point column for the Boothbay Register. She and John together worked with the Marine Mammals Rescue League. Everywhere she went she cultivated her garden of friends and children. She was a gracious host and a tireless champion of her passions. Together with her husband John and sister Peg she continued her favorite past time of travel and globetrotting.

Pat has lost her valiant struggle with Alzheimer’s which she maneuvered as deftly as she could. It infuriated and frustrated her but she kept a sense of humor throughout.

Attempting to summarize Patricia Waldman’s life in a few paragraphs is overwhelming but as I sit here with tears in my eyes remembering what and who she was to so many I realize she will always live through every one of us that she touched. While we will miss her bright sparkling blue eyes smart wit and genuine laughter it is selfish to wish to keep her confined in her broken failing body. So for that release we are thankful but we will miss seeing her and hearing her voice.

Patricia was predeceased by her mother, father and sister Margaret (Peg) Haskell.

She is survived by her husband John Baird Waldman; sister, Elizabeth (Betsy) and husband Skip Klein; daughter, Anna Waldman-Marsh and husband (Andrew Marsh); son, John Brooks Waldman and wife (Lucy Liu Waldman); Anna’s children, Adam Read (Danielle McLeod Read) Tyler Read (Meghan Donelly Read); John’s children, LeLe Waldman and Ciana Waldman; all of the great-grandchildren, Hannah Read, Adam Read Jr., Isabella Read, Cameron Read; all of her cherished nieces and nephews, cousins and all of her “kids” in the community. She and the family would like to thank the wonderful caregivers and now friends Ellisha Perez Peterson and Deseree of Beacon Hospice, Nora Royall, and Lisa Page, who made her life joyful in a difficult time.

In lieu of flowers the family requests a donation to one of the following: Bigelow Labs, www.bigelow.org/support/donate.html, Boothbay Sea and Science Center, boothbayseaandsciencecenter.org/2020-appeal/  or The Alzheimer’s Foundation, https://alzfdn.org

A Celebration of Life Memorial event will be held this summer. Date to be determined.

Hall’s of Boothbay has care of the arrangements. To extend online condolences, please visit hallfuneralhomes.com