Pat was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on August 12, 1931. She was the second child of William and Catharine Gillies and the younger sister of Anne Gillies Fiedler.
Pat and Anne spent the first few years of their lives living in Cuba and Puerto Rico as part of the Royal Bank of Canada family. After their father died, they moved back to Canada with their mother and stepfather, Gayle Catherwood.
As a child, Pat learned to play classical piano music, knit socks for Canadian WWII soldiers, and learned figure skating. She and her sister moved to the Cleveland area in the 1950s to work at the Cleveland Arena as skating professionals. While working at the Arena, Pat met her future husband, James Peter Hendy, through the Cleveland Baron’s Hockey Club. Pat and “Pete” were married in 1955 and had three children, Jimmy, Cassie and Trish. They later divorced, but remained lifelong friends.
Pat was an employee of United Airlines for 32 years, retiring in 1993. Her travel benefits allowed her to travel to many places, but by far her favorite and most visited destination was the islands of Hawaii.
Pat was a prolific knitter of unique and personal sweaters given to her loved ones. She was known during the holidays for her famous shortbread biscuits and hand-dipped chocolates.
Pat loved her Church of the Ascension community. She was active in numerous church ministries, including Christian education, altar guild and craft workshops for the annual Christmas Bizarre. About Her Her legacy to the Church of the Ascension will be the hundreds of photos of her taken over the years at church events with her trusty Kodak Brownie Camera.
In retirement, Pat volunteered many hours at the Rocky River Senior Center and was honored as Volunteer of the Month. She also attended United Airlines’ monthly retiree meetings. Pat continued to enjoy traveling and took an unforgettable cruise through the Caribbean with her close friends; infamously known as The Fab Four: Ella, Mary, Sue and Pat. And they haven’t stopped laughing since!
Pat is preceded in death by her parents, her sister Anne and her son Jim. She is survived by her daughters, Cassie Woiderski and Trish Hendy (Beth Hankins), grandchildren, Jerry Woiderski and Chanel Woiderski, and her grandson, Gayle Fiedler Vierma and nephew Mark Fiedler (Mineko), their children and grandchildren .
A memorial service will be held at the Church of the Ascension 13216 Detroit Ave. Lakewood, Ohio on Saturday, April 22, 2023. (Time TBA)
Memorial gifts in Pat’s memory can be sent to
Church of the Ascension,
The Lakewood Project,
or the Rocky River Senior Center.
