Patricia Spillane

Patricia Ann Spillane, 90, of Wickenburg, passed away peacefully on Monday, February 12, 2024, just 26 days shy of her 91st birthday, in her apartment at the Rustic Ranch in Wickenburg, Arizona, formerly known as My Father's Retirement Ranch. Six years after her husband's death, she relocated to Wickenburg to be near her son, Bill, and his 9 children.

On March 17,1933, Patricia Ann McGowan was born. Since she was half Irish, St. Patricks Day was always special to her. It was the time of the Great Depression and her mother Charlotte, had nowhere to put her baby girl. For the first few months of Patricia's life she slept in the drawer of a bureau. Patricia has come a long way since her youth in the Harrison Gardens located in Harrison, New Jersey. On July 16, 1956, Patricia married her highschool sweetheart, William Spillane; they were married for 56 years. They spent many years together raising their young family. It was during the "empty nest" station in her life that she decided to pursue college. While Patricia was on her way to earn her BS degree, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was a cancer survivor of 40 years. After her recovery, Patricia went on to earn her Master's degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ. Her degree was in Social Work and her career encompassed 30 years of bereavement counselling, focusing on Hospice care patients. Her career in Social Work began at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank NJ. Additionally, she and her "surrogate" sister, Carolyn Cashman, opened a private counseling center for all different types of people in distress that needed professional help. Her passion was to help those suffering with what she herself could empathize with. Her other passions were stenography, handwriting analysis, shopping (which drove our Dad nuts!) , cleaning her beautiful homes, spoiling her 12 grandchildren and being the best Mom, Sister, Aunt and friend anyone could ever hope for. She was truly blessed and was a blessing to anyone she encountered. Paticia will be greatly missed.

Patricia was predeceased by her loving husband, William and she leaves behind her 3 children, Bill (Mandy), Judy, and Chris (Kathy)

She also leaves her 12 grandchildren: Mariah (Lance), Ethan (Abby Bovee), Nate (Mackenzie Spillane), Quentin, Christopher, Arlee Ann (Zach Gural), Marissa (Dylan Coles), Billie Jo (Cooper Lewis), Rachel, Levi (Faythe), Maddy Lynn, and Hannah Spillane. As well as 10 great-grandchildren: Josiah and James Spillane; Bjorn and Tenley Gural; Reagan and Rowynn Lewis; Salem, Nick, and Ava Formica and Callen Spillane. Her two surviving brothers and their wives: Tom and Joyce McGowan, Ed and Ann McGowan. Nieces, nephews, colleagues and many, many friends.

Friends and relatives are invited to join in a celebration of life for Patricia at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, 232 N. Tegner St. Wickenburg at 10am on Friday the 23, 2024 followed by a gathering at Wickenburg Funeral Home, 187 N. Adams St., Wickenburg, from 2-4pm that same day. In Lieu of flowers please consider a donation to one of Patricia's beloved charities: The American Cancer Society, Hospice of the Valley, St. Judes. and The Community Foundation New Jersey. To send condolences to the family or for further information please visit www.wickenburgfuneralhome.com