Patricia Ann McDonough (nee Devoe) passed away on May 21, 2024.
Patricia, who was the fourth of seven children, was born in Dorchester to the late Charles and Grace Devoe. The exact date was always cause for confusion. Pat’s early arrival on Dec. 29, 1927 surprised her family’s physician, who arrived the next morning and noted her birth as occurring on December 30. This was the last time she made the mistake of arriving early, or even on time, for anything.
Pat moved to Lexington with her family when she was 14 and forever after, considered herself as being from Lexington. She graduated from St. Margaret’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1949. She married Myles F McDonough in 1951. They bought a house on Belfry Terrace in Lexington, where she became the mother to her first child, Patricia Ann.
Pat adored motherhood and became active with church and school activities in Lexington. Through school activities she became friends with a wonderful group of women who became known as the Potluckers. This group remained a source of friendship, support, and fun for the rest of their lives.
In 1959, Pat and family relocated to Bedford, where her second child, Myles Jr., was born. (Like his mother, Myles Jr arrived early.) Through some fancy driving, his father was able to get them to the hospital in time to avoid birth date confusion. (However, Myles, like his mother, has resolved never to repeat the mistake of being early when fashionably late will do.)
During this time, she remained active with her friends, the Potluckers. The family acquired a 1962 Chris-Craft ski boat, dubbed MyPat, which they kept on Lake Winnisquam. This boat and the water activities with friends and Potluckers became a source of many fond memories.
The family moved to Omaha in 1968. Restless during this time, Pat returned to school to reactivate her nursing license and began part-time nursing work.
Pat returned to Bedford in 1972. After her divorce from her husband, Pat began working as a nurse full-time. While working at East Village Nursing Home in Lexington, Pat met her future gentleman friend, Earl Outhet. Earl remained a firm friend for the rest of his life, a significant role model for Myles Jr., and a loving extra grandfather to Pat’s grandchildren.
After leaving East Village, Pat began working for the Veterans Administration Hospital in Bedford. Her excellence soon became recognized. She became a well-respected nursing unit administrator, receiving many commendations and awards. She had a reputation for both fairness and mentoring.
During her time at the VA, she developed the careers of many other nursing unit administrators. Eventually, due to her successful administration of one of the first Alzheimer’s units in the VA system, the VA administration wished to promote her to a position for which she lacked required academic credentials. Her supporters brought an application before the US Congress for the academic requirement to be waived so that she could receive her promotion.
After her retirement, Pat traveled around the world with friends, learned to play golf, and became a fanatic follower of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. Sadly, her enjoyment of this retirement was eventually affected by Alzheimer’s, the same disease which had affected so many of her patients.
She entered Carleton-Willard Assisted Living for better care. She remained an active swimmer there until age 90. She lost her battle with Alzheimer’s on May 21, 2024, surrounded by family.
Pat is the mother of Myles F McDonough, Jr and Patricia Ann Payant, mother-in-law of Marian Andrews and Roland Payant, grandmother of Scott and Natalie Dancer, and great grandmother of Logan Breda. Pat was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Grace Devoe and her siblings Charles, John, Richard, Grace, Mary, and Joanne.
Visiting hours will be held in Shawsheen Funeral Home, 281 The Great Road, Bedford, from 3 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.
There will be a funeral procession from Shawsheen Funeral Home, 281 The Great Road, Bedford, at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, May 29, followed at 10 a.m. by a Funeral Mass in the St. Michael Church, 90 Concord Rd., Bedford. Burial will be in Westview Cemetery, 520 Bedford St., Lexington at 11 a.m. Family and friends are invited.
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