I was informed by Roger that his wife Pat, aka North Country Lady, has passed after being stricken with cancer.
Pat was Roger's better half, always there and ready to help when she could. We met as she was trying to attain Rifleman status, and she did years back at a shoot in Columbia, Maine. Once she accomplished this she became an AC/RSO and never turned back. She was at most all Maine events I can recall, doing pre registration and helping those who needed it. In the last few years she would tell strikes one and two and did so in a very serious manner. She was also involved with scheduling at the national level of Appleseed.
Here is a list of some of her other accomplishments:
Pat attended the Newport schools, graduating from Towle High School, Class of 1960 as valedictorian. She went on to the University of NH, graduating Cum Laude in 1964 with a BA in English Education. Pat began her teaching career in a high school with 4,400 students. She had 160 students in her first year out of college. Many were new immigrant students and Pat taught them English after school where her voluntary class grew to 153 students and became the first English as a Second Language (ESL) program in the nation. She was the national women’s field archery champion in 1958. Pat got her first deer with a bow on her grandfather’s farm. She was a Navy Wife, keeping home and hearth safe as Roger served in the Navy, She earned two master’s degrees in education and taught in six states. She was a child advocate for those students who had no advocates. Her ham radio call was N1ZDH. She was an advanced EMT and saved lives. She served on many boards in many organizations. She climbed mountains, ran most of Maine’s white water rivers and won sled dog races. She was the NH state Debate Champion and a great story teller, most recently with Project Appleseed.
Besides her husband of 52 years she leaves two son's, Adam Ek, wife Ailsa and grandson David of Merrimack, NH., Matthew Ek and wife Candace of Portland, Maine and other out of state relatives and friends.
It was a priviledge to have known Pat Ek, she will be sorely missed.
