Patricia A. Quarry

Patricia (Pat) Quarry quietly passed away at home, on July 4th, only 4 days shy of her 87th birthday. Family members were there to keep her company as she moved on from this world. It was very fitting that she was able to spend her last hours in the home she loved so much.

Born in Plattsburgh, NY, Pat was the dazzling blue eyed daughter of Ralph and Francis Chambers. She was third of the five Chambers children. Her father's military career kept the family on the move, spending time in Germany, Fort Knox, and eventually landing in Maryland. The life of an Army Brat, as she would phrase it, exposed her to a variety of cultures and experiences, making her worldly despite quiet nature.

Pat is survived by five children: Jennifer wife of Ron Kaszubski, of Bedford; Kendra wife of Gerald Mowry, of Manns Choice; Kimberly wife of Mike Huizinga, of Carrolltown, TX; Peter Quarry husband of Donna, of Weston, FL; and Keith Quarry husband of Mary, of Elizabethtown, PA; nine grandchildren: Kristen Mowry (Matthew), Brenna King (Bill), Hunter Mowry, Brain Kaszubski (Sarah), Rachel Wood (Brian), Mathew and Jacob Huizinga, Hanna and Malina Quarry; five great-grandchildren: Megan Howard, Devan Howard, Lily Zabala, Bella King, Camden Kaszubski; along with two step-granddaughters: Danielle and Amanda and four step-great-grandsons: Brady, Evan, Austin and Trey; siblings: Charlotte Thompson, of NC; Ralph Chambers, of MD; and numerous nieces and nephews. Patricia is preceded in death by one granddaughter- Megan Kaszubski; siblings: Walter Chambers and Mary Crooks.

She graduated from Anne Arundel High School in 1956. After graduating, she displayed her independent spirit, enrolling into the University of Maryland at a time when it was not common for women to attend college. Unable to decide on a major, she did not return for a second year and instead hatched a scheme with her sister, Charlotte, to study cosmetology and find work on a cruise ship.

Cosmetology wasn't for her but it stuck with Charlotte. Patricia helped her sister hone her craft, volunteering to have her hair bobbed and bleached, an edgy style for the late 50s. The plan of working on an ocean liner didn't come to fruition but in a roundabout way lead to her meeting her future husband of 64 years, Lawrence (Larry) Quarry, and her true vocation.

Leaving cosmetology behind and wanting to be independent, she got a job as a secretary at Army Map Service in Bethesda. Her relationship with Larry blossomed and the two were married in 1960. Their first of five children arrived the next year and the last child was born before the decade was up. When she became a mother, she found her calling.

As a mother of five, personal or private time is a rarity but also a necessity. To accomplish this, she would wake before the sun at 5 AM to have a quiet cup of coffee, while working the puzzles in the newspaper - cryptograms and crosswords were her standard. The stillness of the house was short-lived. Days started early in the Quarry household.

In 1972, the family purchased a summer home in Manns Choice, PA. This old farm was a fixer-upper and was an ongoing project for the remaining part of the 1970s. The work was a labor of love. The old farmhouse and the surrounding area became her sanctuary. It uncorked the fountain of creativity in her; especially, when the family moved to Manns Choice full-time in 1978.

She loved her county home. The house originally had a big wrap-around porch with a picnic table on it. This was the spot where she would teach crafts to the kids on rainy days in the summertime. The porch was where raspberries were de-seeded with cheese cloth to make the base for her raspberry jam. Once living there full-time, she had the opportunity to experience all the seasons. This inspired a poem that was published in the local newspaper.

Her creativity was not limited to writing. She did write a series of short stories inspired by friends next door and their sheepdog. In addition to writing the stories, she also illustrated them. She made a variety crafts: dolls, quilted pillows, and holiday ornaments, to name a few. She would sell these crafts at various fairs, including the annual Fall Foliage Festival in Bedford every year. Instead of using the money from craft sales for herself, the proceeds from the Fall Foliage funded Christmas for the family.

She always made Christmas, Easter, and birthdays special. It seemed she wanted to slow down events like Christmas, insisting that gifts were opened one at a time, so that she could see the response of the recipient. Of course, she was last to open her gifts.

Sacrifice didn't seem a burden. The early mornings to Shawnee lake for swimming lessons that lead to 6 AM swim practice in high school were all taken in stride with no complaint. She was always there for hockey practices and games prior to the crack of dawn. She always volunteered as chaperon on field trips or opened her home to the neighborhood homemakers' group. She seemed to have boundless energy.

Her energy converted a dilapidated farmhouse into a home. A home that hosted family and friends for summer excursions. It was a sanctuary during the TMI crisis in 1979 for relatives in the danger zone. She opened her home for epic birthday celebrations that lasted for days. She provided the room and board and entertainment without effort, tirelessly.

This barely scrapes the surface on a life so well lived. As the old saying goes, if you do what you love, you'll never work a day in your life. She did what she loved: caring for her children and grandchildren, volunteering at Bedford Village, hunting for ginseng with her sidekick, Pokey, canning fruits and vegetables grown on her property, and cultivating her flower gardens.

This beacon of light was finally snuffed out on 4th of July, leaving the world a little dimmer. She will be dearly missed.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, August 2, 2025, from 12 to 1230 PM at Geisel-Styer Funeral Homes, Schellsburg.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at 1230 PM at Geisel-Styer Funeral Homes, Schellsburg with Pastor Ralph Hamer.

Inurnment will be held at Schellsburg Cemetery, Schellsburg.

Online condolences may be expressed at http://www.geiselfuneral.com/. Arrangements entrusted to Geisel-Styer Funeral Homes, Schellsburg, Pennsylvania.