Patricia Staves

Patricia Lennon Staves, 93, of 3318 Tennessee Terrace, passed away on January 3 at her home in Orlando.

She was born October 8, 1929, in Watertown, New York to Raymond and Helene Lennon. Her family moved to Orlando when she was six years old.

Patricia had many admirers, but it was Ralph Staves whose patience and persistence paid off. He convinced her to elope with him; his friend flew them to Charlton County, Georgia, in his single-engine plane, where they married on July 2, 1949. The rest, as they say, is history: she had five children in twelve years, three boys and two girls. Before Ralph's passing in 2018, they were able to celebrate 70 years of marriage.

Patricia is survived by her two sons, Ralph (Bo) of Orlando, FL, and David of Cartersville, GA; and her daughter, Jennifer Christenberry of Columbus, IN. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Dana Wells and her wife, Amanda, of Norfolk, VA; and Corin of Cambridge, England; and her great-grandchildren, Thomas and Jane.

Patricia is pre-deceased by her husband, Ralph Staves; her son, Jeffrey Benjamin; daughter, Carrie Beck, and grandson, Danny Staves.

As her children grew older and she had more time to herself, Patricia enjoyed participating in the Red Hats, whether dining at a local fine restaurant, or going on outings, like a boat tour on the Maitland Chain of Lakes. Most recently, in her final years, she greatly enjoyed the regular gatherings with the local Young at Heart organization. She was unable attend the most recent events because of her health, but she always looked forward to their monthly socials.

Her greatest passion and dedication, however, was to her children. There is no way to describe the grief a parent feels after losing a child, and Patricia had to say goodbye to two of hers, well before she should have. She remained as close as possible to her remaining children, and the love they received from her can never be-will never be-forgotten.

Patricia was a devoted mother and wife, a beloved Granny, and a kind spirit to all she met. Her family will remember her as a wonderful cook (favorites were her chili and her goulash), an avid gardener, a faithful pen pal, and a lover of dogs. She was gentle and thoughtful, a woman who kept a daily diary to record her life. She will be dearly missed and remembered with fondness.

Services will be held at Colonial Carey Hand Funeral Home, 2811 Curry Ford Rd. Orlando, on January 21 at 10:00am.