Patricia A. McDermitt Gillich, 92, passed away peacefully at home on June 19, 2022 with her loving husband of 63 years at her side.

Daughter of Ellen and Francis McDermitt, she was born on March 17, 1930 in Orange, NJ. She was raised in Caldwell, NJ, attended St. Aloysius School, Mount St. Dominic Academy and graduated from Caldwell University (then College) where she studied Biology. She met and married Thomas Gillich on December 27, 1958.   Enjoyed raising her family in Berkely Heights, NJ. A lifelong teacher, she taught science at Little Flower School in Berkeley Heights.  Later, relocated to Whitehouse Station, NJ where she was the Director of Religious Education at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. Once husband Thomas retired, they moved to Bath, PA. in 1994, where she continued to be a beloved and devoted teacher of religious education to adults. She was an active parishioner and member of the Women’s Guild of Sacred Heart Church in Bath. In 2021, moved to Carolina Shores, NC with her husband, to live with daughter Ellen and son in-law John.   Enjoyed her daily walks with John, where she would talk to the neighbors and share stories of her family.

Patricia was a compassionate person who prayed and cared for others. Her devout faith was at the core of who she was. She would spend hours keeping track of events that impacted someone’s life. She took the time to send remembrance cards and make phone calls, so you knew how special and unconditionally loved you were. She was a biological mom to six kids, but a mother to a countless number of people who were touched by her love and kindness. Was very proud of her Irish heritage and enjoyed travels to Ireland with her daughters, and religious pilgrimages to various sites in Europe with her church group. When her children were younger, she loved taking them to the Jersey shore and they developed the same love of the ocean that she had. Enjoyed growing tomato plants and sunflowers, feeding the various songbirds & hummingbirds in the yard, watching Jeopardy and had a lifetime love of lighthouses.

She was predeceased by her parents, sister Carol and brother Frank.

She is survived by her husband Thomas, her daughter Ellen Itzel & husband John of NC, son Jerry & wife Thanh of PA, son Peter & wife Dawn of FL, son Francis & wife Michele of AZ, son David & wife Julie of CA, daughter Caroline of PA and grandchildren Candice, Megan, Jonathon, Colby, Jessica, Samantha and Braxton.

A Funeral Mass will be held on Thursday July 7, 2022 at 10:30am, Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 210 East Northampton St, Bath, PA (www.sacredheartbath.org).

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love.” St. Francis of Assisi

“Joy is prayer, joy is strength, joy is love, joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls.” Mother Teresa