Patricia J. Fisher (Trudell) passed away peacefully just a month before her 95th birthday in her home of nearly 60 years in the early morning of February 12, 2024.  Born on March 16, 1929, in Wayne, Michigan, Patricia was named by her mother Nellie Fitzpatrick in honor of St. Patrick and welcomed home by her father Ernest Trudell and four sisters, for whom she was the cherished "baby of the family" throughout her life.  Patricia attended St. Mary's Catholic School and graduated from Wayne Memorial High School while working in the family business, Trudells' Market, along-side her father.  She would recount stories of morning coffee and reading the newspaper at the kitchen table with her father after he had delivered her mother a cup in bed, which had been their tradition since early in their marriage.  Patricia worked various office jobs throughout her 20s and 30s eventually joining the secretarial pool at Gar-Wood Industries, located in the former Graham-Paige Motor Corp plant whose opening prompted Ernest and Nellie to relocate to Wayne from their previous home in Detroit.

Patricia resided in her childhood home caring for her aging parents until marrying Thomas A. Fisher, who she met as an Accounting Executive at Gar-Wood, in June 1965 and moving to Westland to begin their life and family together with his two young daughters, Kathleen (born 1948) and Lynette (born 1952).  They welcomed a third daughter to the family in 1966, who they named Jeanine, and built strong friendships with their neighbors and ties to the community.  Patricia was a strong role model for her three girls, instilling a strong work ethic, belief that anything was possible and no achievement was out of reach.  She attended every game, match, performance and event.  Patricia remained close to her family and was a loving and devoted "Aunt Pat" to two generations of nieces and nephews with the large extended family coming together on Christmas Eve in the family home in Wayne, weekends spent at the family cottage on Stoney Pointe, Ontario and visits for holidays and special occasions.  Patricia was an avid painter and her canvases still adorn walls in many homes throughout the family.

Patricia and Thomas purchased Quigley's Hardware in Garden City in 1971, renaming the business Tom and Ray's Hardware.  Patricia, usually known as "Pat" to friends and customers, was involved in every aspect of the business when women owned and operated businesses were far from common.  She continued to run the hardware after Tom passed in 1974 for another 10 years where her work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit kept the business flourishing even as many small hardware stores were replaced by larger national chains.

Beyond her professional achievements and family life, Patricia was a devout Catholic attending week services as St. Mary's in Wayne and then St. Theodore of Canterbury in Westland.  She belonged to the Confraternity of Christian Women and served various board positions throughout her near 30 years of membership.  She was an active member of the Wayne Garden Club and Wayne Historical Society which aligned to her love of gardening, history and antiques.  Summer weekends were often spent at estate sales searching for furniture to be brought new life and glassware with a special tie to her family or childhood.  She volunteered with the Annapolis Hospital Auxiliary as well as the numerous opportunities available through church and schools.

Her interests were a reflection of her appreciation for the beauty and simplicity of life.  Patricia enjoyed bringing birds into the yard with specially selected plants, always full feeders and fresh water in the bird bath.  Finding just the right place in her home for a found treasure.  Or simply enjoying the company of family and friends around the dinner table - fully set of course, with no plastic containers or paper plates.  While her home was simple and lifestyle modest she was always graceful and put together.  Getting "dressed" to go out, putting a little color on her checks and making sure her hair was in order even for the simplest trip to the store.  Patricia was loyal to friends and family and fiercely independent even in her later years.  She approached life with a warmth that drew people to her, and she maintained an unwavering positivity that uplifted those around her.

She was preceded in death by her parents Ernest Trudell and Nellie Fitzpatrick, beloved husband, Thomas A. Fisher, her daughter, Lynette Fisher, her siblings Mary Dowd, Ellen Johnson, Aiden Broderick, and Katy Angove. She leaves behind a legacy of love and cherished memories with her daughters, Jeanine (Fisher) Tabaczynski and Kathy Fisher, son-in-law Mark Tabaczynski and her grandsons Joseph Fisher and Alex Tabaczynski.

Patricia J. Fisher's life was a testament to the power of kindness and the impact one person can have on the lives of others. Her memory will be treasured and kept alive in the hearts of her family, friends, and all who were fortunate enough to have felt the gentle touch of her presence.

As we bid farewell to Patricia, we celebrate a life well-lived, a journey marked by love, compassion, and a gentle spirit that will continue to inspire for generations to come. Her light, though no longer with us in this world, will never fade from the lives she touched.