Obituary: Patricia V. Goldman McGalliard, 95, Of Cheshire

CHESHIRE, CT — (From Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home): Patricia Valentine Goldman McGalliard, 95, of Cheshire, passed away peacefully in her home residence at Elim Park on October 24, 2022. Pat was born in Bristol on July 27, 1927 to the late Ludger and Frances Kloss Valentine.

Pat was predeceased by her first husband of 31 years, Sidney Goldman. She married David McGalliard in 1988, to whom she was married for 30 years before his passing. Pat was also predeceased by her loving son, Jeffrey Goldman.

During her extraordinary life in Bristol, North Haven, and Cheshire, she enjoyed gardening, poetry and literature, tennis, and most of all, gatherings with her loving family.

Patricia and her late husband, Sidney, were co-founders of New Samaritan Community Residences, now HART United – a group home for developmentally disabled persons, at which their son Jeffrey resided for 35 years.

Pat served on the board of New Samaritan and HART until she was 90 years old. Pat had been an active member of The High Lane Club and Spring Glen Garden Club, and enjoyed being an avid bridge player. She also enjoyed the NYT crossword puzzles, poetry and writing clubs, knitting, and being a talented seamstress for her family.

Pat loved the outdoors and animals, and cherished hiking, biking, and staying at hostels throughout the U.S. and Europe. Pat was an active and loved community member at her residence, Elim Park in Cheshire.

Patricia was a teacher at heart, having worked as an English teacher in the Hamden school system for over 30 years. She received her BA degree from Elmira College class of ’49, and her Master’s degree from Southern Connecticut State.

Patricia will be lovingly remembered by her three children and their spouses, Nancy Papa (Kenneth), Edward Goldman (Jennifer), and Susan Nisson (Michael); nine grandchildren, Jonathan, Lisa, Sara, Gretchen, Jared, Daniel, Kyle, Erik, and Haley; eight great-grandchildren; five stepchildren, Bruce (Emily), Lesley (Rich Layman), Robin Nelson (Eric), Nancy Brattain (David), Lynn Arnone (Jay) and their children and grandchildren, and the extended McGalliard family, David Phelan, Louise Barber, and Susan Baxter (David), and their children.

Contributions in Patricia’s memory may be sent to The Goldman Memorial Fund, c/o HART United, Inc., 127 Washington Ave., 5th Floor, West Building, North Haven, CT 06473 (Donations go towards the care and comfort of individuals with developmental disabilities supported by HART United), or to The Animal Haven, 89 Mill Road, North Haven, CT 06473, www.theanimalhavenct.org.

For more information and to leave online condolences, visit Beecher & Bennett Funeral Home here.