Patrick Connell Gibbons

Patrick Connell Gibbons was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 23, 1934. He passed peacefully on March 18, 2025, at the age of 90. He was preceded in death by his parents, James Gibbons, Mary Ann Gibbons, his beloved wife, Joanne Gibbons and siblings, James Gibbons, Ann Gibbons Carroll and Mary Gibbons Roddy.

Patrick is survived by his loving children, Patrick J. Gibbons (Lynn), Mark Gibbons (Kathy), Elizabeth Gibbons Jennings (Richard), John Gibbons (Deirdre) and dear brother, Peter Gibbons. He was also a cherished grandfather to James Jennings, Clare Jennings, Grace Jennings, Kerry Gibbons (Matt McCracken), Julia Gibbons, Jane Gibbons, Kelsey Gibbons Seymour (Kevin) and Carly Gibbons. His loss will be felt by many other caring family and friends.

The family has requested that for those desiring, donations be made to the Little Sisters of the Poor .

Family and friends may gather for a visitation at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at the Our Lady of the Angels Chapel, 711 Maiden Choice Ln., Catonsville, MD 21228 with Mass following at 11:00 AM and burial immediately following at St. John’s Cemetery, 3480 St Johns Ln., Ellicott City, MD 21042.

To go back to the beginning…  Pat’s parents, James and Mary Ann immigrated from Donegal, Ireland separately, met and married in the U.S.  They settled in Philadelphia, PA.  The family moved from East Germantown to Elkins Park (Philadelphia) in 1939 and lived on an estate where Pat’s father was employed.  Pat attended Catholic grade school at Immaculate Conception in Jenkintown.  According to Pat’s brother, Pete, there was sporadic school bus service, so the Gibbons children often walked the 2.5 miles to school.

Pat became an altar boy in 7th grade, where he (again!) walked to serve at the early morning masses.  As a child, Pat loved to ice skate on a pond on the estate and play baseball in the summer.  Pat attended high school at North Catholic in downtown Philadelphia in 1948, which required another long walk to the city line public bus stop and a grueling 45-minute, multi-bus change ride each day.  Pat graduated in 1952 in a class of 1,000 boys- the largest in the country at that time.

Pat’s first job was as a caddie at the Old York Road Country Club in Jenkintown.  He worked up to a job in the pro shop golf bag room cleaning clubs and delivering them to members.

Pat’s Dad was laid off and the family moved back into the City of Philadelphia late in 1950.   Pat’s lifelong love of the game of golf was already apparent, as he undertook long bus trips back to the golf club to continue to work for a few years.

After high school, Pat went to work at John J. Felin Meat Packers in Philadelphia.  He started out as a laborer and moved into a sales position.  Pat met Joanne Dolores Casey at a dance in 1956 at the Church of the Holy Cross in the Mount Airy neighborhood of Philadelphia.  According to their friends, it was love at first sight.  Pat and Joanne were married on Pat’s birthday in 1958.

The next few years were very busy for the young couple.  Pat, Mark, Liz Ann and John were born in quick succession between 1960 and 1964.  Pat had enlisted and served six months in the in the U.S. Army in 1956 and was called back for a year in 1961 during the Berlin Wall Crisis.  After serving in the Army, Pat attended night school at LaSalle College in Philadelphia on the G.I. Bill.  He continued to work full time while earning his degree.

Pat changed jobs several times throughout his career.  He was a sales manager for Nestle’s Chocolates, then Schrafft’s Candies.  Pat, Joanne and their young family were transferred from Philadelphia to Lewisburg, PA in 1963 then to Baltimore, MD in 1965.  In the 70’s, Pat joined RMI & Associates, a food brokerage that represented manufacturers of food and sundries for the sales and distribution of their products to grocery and drug stores in the Baltimore-Washington area.  Pat eventually became part of the executive management team and stayed with RMI until his retirement in 2000.

After Pat’s retirement, he and Joanne moved from Ellicott City to move Ocean Pines, MD.  During retirement years, the couple enjoyed life on the water with their pontoon boat, hosting friends and family (especially grandchildren), golf and travel.

When Joanne’s health declined, Pat and Joanne moved back to the Baltimore area in 2020 to the Charlestown retirement community.  Despite the Covid pandemic, Pat and Joanne reconnected with old friends, met new ones and spent as much as time as possible with their children and much beloved grandchildren.  After Joanne’s death in January 2022, Pat continued to live independently in good health until November 2024 when he was in a serious car accident.  Despite the decline of Pat’s health and quality of life after the accident, he did his very best to stay with us.

Pat (known by many as “Pop”) will be remembered by his friends and family for his incredible energy and drive, strong Catholic faith, pride in his Irish heritage, deep dedication to his extended family and unmeasurable love for his 8 grandchildren.   Pat’s family came from all over the country to celebrate his 90th birthday in August of 2024.  It was a wonderful tribute to a man who loved his family and life so much.