Obituary of Patricia Boquist

Patricia Boquist, 82, passed away with family by her side May 12, 2018 in Ithaca NY. She was born April 15, 1936, the daughter of the late Arthur and Mary Chernay. Her mother died soon after her birth, and she was raised lovingly by her father, his brother Andrew and his wife Stella, and her sister Elizabeth, and surrounded by her large extended family in Leechburg, PA. She was a proud graduate of Penn State University, and Elmira College, where she earned her Master's Degree in Teaching. One of her first jobs was teaching the children of the soldiers at Ernest Harmon Army Base in Newfoundland. There she met her late husband, Robert Boquist. They lived and worked in several cities in New York, started raising their daughters, and finally settled in Cortland. She was a longtime communicant at St. Anthony's Church. Recently she moved closer to her daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters in Ithaca and attended St. Catherine of Siena. She was a 30+ year member of the Catholic Daughters of America. She loved teaching and devoted much of her life to early childhood education and special needs students. Most of her teaching career was spent at Lansing Middle School, from which she retired in 1996. After her retirement, she continued to work with special needs children and their families. She is survived by her daughters Amy Boquist and Lisa Boquist (Todd Etchison), her granddaughters Lucy Etchison and Maxine Etchison, her niece Karen Ackland (Mark Ackland), her nephews Mark (Jacquie), Kevin (Yamilett), and Rick (Sharon) McAlpin. In addition to her parents, Patricia was predeceased by her husband Robert Boquist and her sister Elizabeth McAlpin. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday 11 am at St. Catherine of Siena, 309 Siena Dr., Ithaca NY 14850. Contributions may be made to Hospicare, East King Rd, Ithaca, NY. To offer online condolences visit www.wright-beard.com