Patricia C. "Pat" (Mangan) Gill: Longtime Chelmsford Resident, Retired Teacher

Patricia C. “Pat” (Mangan) Gill, a resident of Chelmsford, since 1955, entered eternal rest on Jan. 15, 2016, at home surrounded by her loving family. She was the beloved wife of Robert J. “Bob” Gill, Sr., with whom she had celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary on July 2, 2015.

Born in Lowell, Sept. 1, 1925, a daughter of the late Albert P. and Catherine E. (Grogan) Mangan. Pat received her early education at St. Michael’s Parochial School in Lowell, and graduated from Lowell High School with the Class of 1943. She furthered her education at the Lowell State Teachers College, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Education in 1948.

Pat taught elementary education for over 34 years, most of that time in the Billerica school system, where she spent 28 rewarding years of her career.

Pat was a member of the Retired Educators Association of Massachusetts (REAM), having served as 2nd Vice President, North Middlesex Chapter, for many years. She was Patriotic Instructor of the VFW Post 662 Ladies Auxiliary.

She was a devout communicant of St. Mary’s Church in Chelmsford.

She and Bob were world-wide travelers, and especially enjoyed taking cruises. They found pleasure and easy exercise in ballroom dancing, and she enjoyed many hobbies, such as reading and solving all types of word puzzles. Her greatest joy, however, was the many gatherings held with her large and wonderful family.

Besides her loving husband, she is survived by four children, Robert J. Gill, Jr. and his wife, Linda of Dunstable, Kathleen E. Etzel and her husband, Michael of Mount Vernon, NH, Thomas P. Gill of Lowell, and Darlene A. Heffernan of Nashua, NH. She was the proud grandmother of Robert J. Gill III, Jonathan Gill, Todd Etzel, Daniel Etzel, Colin Etzel, Kyle Etzel, Amanda Gyles, Siobhan Heffernan, and Patricia Heffernan; and the doting great-grandmother of Dominic Gyles, Kaelyn Heffernan, Julia Gyles, Logan Lovett, Avianna Perez and Niko Perez. She also leaves a sister, Kathleen E. McCall of Lowell, and many other loving relatives and friends. She was the sister of the late Margaret R. Hildreth, Mary C. Mangan, Anna V. Becker, Agnes L. Barrows and Helen E. Cheetham, Albert J. Mangan, Walter J. Mangan and John P. Mangan, and cousin of the late John J. Obst, and Marie (Obst) Chartier, who were raised from a very early age with the Mangan siblings. She was the sister-in-law and best friend of the late Irene Gill. She was predeceased by her beloved son, William M. Gill, who passed away in 1987 at the age of 29 years.

In lieu of flowers, friends who wish may make memorial donations in her name to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6931 Arlington Rd., 2nd Floor, Bethesda, MD 20814, or the Huntington’s Disease Foundation, PO Box 912, Salado, Texas 76571.

Obituary courtesy of Morse-Bayliss Funeral Home