Patty Kaminsky was born in Scranton, PA on 6/12/1941, the seventh of eight children born to Andrew and Helen Kaminsky. She graduated from Scranton Technical High School in 1959, where she was remembered as “having a smile as bright as a penny” and “never wearing the same outfit twice.” She retained these qualities throughout her life.

After a whirlwind romance, Pat took a leap of faith with Casimir Kaditus, also of Scranton, Pa, as they daringly left their hometown to create their future together, settling in New Jersey and marrying in 1960. The risks paid off: Pat and Cas remained married until the time of her death (58 years) and shared three children, Cas (Jocelyn Leventhal), Kim, and Stacy as well as three adored grandchildren, Michael, Lisa, and Kaitlyn. Pat is survived by all members of her immediate family.

Pat was preceded in death by her parents, Helen and Andrew Kaminsky, her brother Thomas Kaminsky, and her sisters Helen Kennedy and Mary Flynn.

Before her marriage, Pat worked at Rice’s Credit office in Scranton, PA and later at Thermo Electric Company in Saddle Brook, NJ until giving birth to her first child. Pat dedicated herself to raising her children and assisting her husband with his business and showroom. Pat was also a loving caretaker to her mother Helen, as well as to her aunts Isabelle and Margret and her uncle Frank.

Pat enjoyed many interests, including baking, shopping, movies, decorating, photography, painting, crafting, dining out, boating, walking, bicycling, gardening, and “gabbing with her girls.” She enjoyed keeping up with her friends Ricki, Sienna, June, and Jean. She loved animals and was quick to help anyone in need. She had an encyclopedic knowledge of useful information, was a lifelong learner, and loved to discuss current events, including her offense at the current administration. She loved music and enjoyed an eclectic range of styles and performers. Pat was thoughtful, loved a good story, was quick to laugh, add to a joke, and is remembered fondly for her many failed attempts to withhold a snicker in situations she found ridiculous or stuffy.

Pat had a deep appreciation of athleticism and was a great supporter of her children and grandchildren’s’ sporting activities, describing exceptional athleticism as “poetry in motion,” including appreciation for the beauty, grace, power and freedom of racing horses. Through watching baseball and football with her grandson, Pat became an avid Yankee and Giants fan, a supporter of the Green Bay Packers, and in her final years, a Steph Curry mega fan. She would be absolutely thrilled with the current excitement of the Golden State Warriors in the finals.

She prided herself for her honesty, loyalty, trustworthiness and for not squandering what was given to her. She was known as an exceptional and generous hostess, wanting the best for those she loved, and as a fighter, surviving cancer and the treatments to cure it. She endured the indignities of aging and illness, indicating as she was oft to quote, “Getting old isn’t for the weak,” while expressing gratitude for each day, identifying, “Listen, I’m living with the big three; I know I’m living on borrowed time here.” Even though she was appalled at the increasing amount of time she needed to spend with them, she offered gratitude and respect for the many doctors and their staff who supported her well-being, took extra time to get to know her as a person, and treated her with kindness, dignity, and respect.

Pat did not easily suffer fools, but she would quickly act the fool if doing so would potentially tease out a smile or laugh from a baby or child. She loved children and was gifted in her interactions with them. Pat loved spending time with her grandchildren and she was exceptionally proud of them and their accomplishments, offering them the purest form of unconditional positive regard. It was one of her deepest regrets that she would not be able to continue with them on their paths and to see where they would travel. It would be her hope that they will always feel her love, support, encouragement, coaching, and cheerleading from the sidelines.

A brief memorial blessing with family will be held early this summer in the chapel at Cathedral Cemetery in Scranton, Pa, where her remains will be interred.

In lieu of flowers, Pat would appreciate and offer the following: Call your mother. Don’t worry about it. Let it go. Go and have some fun. Enjoy yourself. Listen to your mother. Use nightly lotion on your face and neck. Take care of your teeth. Stay out of the sun. Don’t be too long-winded. Offer kindness. Travel. Don’t be cheap. Understand your fears. Give each other a break. Never only make one dessert when three will do. Don’t take yourself so seriously. Always feed a stray. Be careful. Pat was deeply loved and her presence in this world is greatly missed.

Funeral Arrangements have been entrusted to Cochran Funeral Home, 905 High Street, Hackettstown, NJ 07840.

For those wishing to leave online condolence’s, please visit www.cochranfuneral.com

ricki

#1

June 7th, 2018 8:19 pm

such a lovely obit, really captures who pat was- generous, kind, clever and fun, a wonderful cook, sharp eye for beauty, a true gem, wonderful gal. I hope she has found peace.