Obituary of Patsy Louise Gillis

Patsy Louise Wedmore Nichols Gillis of Wurtsboro, passed away peacefully at her home with her family by her side on November 1st, 2013. The daughter of the late Jesse Wedmore and Gladys Smith Wedmore, she was born on December 12, 1930 in South Bend, Indiana. Patsy graduated in 1949 from St. Joseph's Academy in South Bend, which is adjacent to Notre Dame, making her a life-long Notre Dame Football fan. Prior to her settling down to raise her family, Patsy was a dance instructor at Arthur Murray Dance Studios in Chicago, IL. She had a lifelong love of dance and music. Being an accomplished pianist and composing her own works, Patsy also made her career as an executive assistant for several companies in South Bend and Chicago. These included Edwards Iron Works, Bendix Aviation and Eastman Kodak. Patsy was also an artist; she loved to paint using oils and passed this love on to several of her family members. She had a love of reading, gardening, canning, conversations with her sisters and caring for any animal that came her way. Patsy never allowed a stray to go unloved, unfed or unsheltered. She  instilled her love of animals in her children. Patsy had a wonderful sense of humor, always the first to tell a joke but never being able to get the punch lines right, making her jokes all the funnier. Patsy is survived by her five children: Janice Owens (Paul) of the United Kingdom, Timothy Nichols of Montvale, NJ, Nancy Monaco (Ron) of Hillsdale, NJ, Susan Nichols (Howard Quick) of Wurtsboro and Kelly Messineo (Kevin) of Wurtsboro. She is also survived by four grandchildren: Sandra Nichols, Eric Messineo, Alyssa Messineo, and Julia Owens; one great grandchild, Madison Messineo; two sisters: Betty Jones and Barbara Riggins; several nieces and nephews and Cindy Geelhoed, whom she loved as a daughter. Patsy was predeceased by two husbands: Thomas Nichols and Edward Gillis and two brothers: Richard and Jack Wedmore. At Patsy's request, there will be no public services. She asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in her memory to any No-Kill Animal Shelter of your choice. Arrangements under the direction of the VanInwegen-Kenny, Inc. Funeral Home of Wurtsboro; for additional information or to send an online condolence, please visit www.kennyfuneralhome.com.