Wanderings

As I wrote the preceding post I thought that Mr. Patnode might read it if he googled his name. It occurred to me that I should google him to see what he was up to. I am afraid that what I found was his obituary.

Edward M. Patnode, 81, died Friday, Jan. 5, 2007 after a brave struggle with cancer. He was a retired English teacher. Born Jan. 8, 1925 in Lake Placid, he was the son of Bartholomew and Winifred Patnode. He grew up with seven siblings. He left high school to join the U.S. Navy and served in the Pacific during World Ward II. After the war, he attended Union College in Schenectady, and received his bachelor’s degree in 1949 and his master’s degree in 1950. He taught English in Pawling from 1950 to 1954; then in Mohawk from 1954 to 1960. He joined the high school staff of Nyack in 1960, served as assistant principal for several years and retired in 1985. He then moved to Lake Placid. Sports was one of his major interests and he encouraged many young people to participate in a wide variety of sports. He officiated and coached for hockey, swimming, soccer, football and lacrosse and had an international rating in luge. He was an official at the 1980 Winter Olympics, as well as at many sporting events throughout the year in Lake Placid. Mr. Patnode’s interests included reading, swing music and volunteering with a number of organizations. His volunteer activities included ambulance work, college recruiting, health care providers and many other charitable groups. He had a lifelong love of the Adirondack Mountain region. He is survived by his former wife, Kip Smith of Middletown; four children: Michael Patnode of Lexington, Mass., Mark Patnode of New London, Conn., Anne Wilson of Lake Placid and Maggie Szeliga of Long Lake, Minn.; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Visitation will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Clark Funeral Home in Lake Placid. An American Legion prayer service will be held at 7:30 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 9 at the St. Agnes Church in Lake Placid. Burial will be in the St. Agnes Cemetery.