Patricia A. Mahan

Patricia Anne "Pat" (O'Brien) Mahan passed away on Monday, September 7, 2020 in her home after a battle with cancer. Pat was born January 14, 1944 in Hattiesburg, MS, the daughter of Maj. Thomas O'Brien and Ellen S. (Toomey) O'Brien.  She graduated from Bishop McDevitt H.S. in Harrisburg, PA and  met her husband, Ronald A. Mahan, in Fiskdale, MA while visiting with her grandparents. Ron and Pat were married at St. Rose Catholic Church on March 9, 1963 in East Hartford, CT  and were blessed with six children. The family resided in Charlton, MA for many years, moving to Shelbyville, IN in 1980. For the past seventeen years, Ron and Pat have spent the winter months residing in Florida.

While raising six children, Pat led an eclectic life, filled with family adventures, travel, and volunteer work. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary for 74 years (having been enrolled at the age of 2), a foster parent, a Pan Am games Ambassador, a Girl Scout leader and a Salvation Army thrift store volunteer. She volunteered with the Red Cross in their natural disaster relief program for two floods and one earthquake and was a life-long blood donor. She was a member of an international professional women's organization, Zonta, in multiple leadership positions. She was an avid reader and at one point she owned and managed a used bookstore, Booketeria, in Shelbyville. Other entrepreneurial endeavors included A Woman's Touch, which was a service for home organization, as well as sales of Tupperware, Mary Kay, Princess House and Avon products. Her volunteer efforts continued well into retirement years and most recently included use of her talents as the activities director at Countryside RV Park in Lake Panasoffkee, FL for three years. 

As the child of an Army officer, Pat was often referred to as an Army "brat" and lived in many places, even residing in Germany for a time. Her love of travel continued throughout her lifetime taking her across the globe to places far and wide such as Greece, Paris, England, Germany, Italy, and most of the states in the USA including Hawaii and Alaska. Her favorite destination was Israel where she travelled a total of five times over the years. Australia had special significance to her as she hosted a high school exchange student, Kirsty Mifsud Cosgriff (deceased) followed the next year by her youngest daughter being hosted by the Mifsud family over in Australia. Ultimately, the bonds formed resulted in one of her sons marrying a woman from Australia and residing there now with his family. One of her grandsons also moved to Australia after college and now resides there with his family.Pat is survived by her husband, Ronald; her brother, Thomas O'Brien; her sons, Ronald Jr (Marita), Scott (Katrina), and Mark (Nicole); her daughters, Suellyn, Lori-Anne (Eric) Harley, and Jennifer (Scott) Back; as well as twelve grandchildren, Nicole, Brandon, Melissa, Ronald III and Noah Mahan, Ashley Cory; Amber Phelps, Elizabeth Hagan, Lukas and Quentin Harley, Michael and Clayton Back; she is predeceased by one grandchild, Thomas Back; Pat is survived by six great-grandchildren; Gaige Jones, Jacobi Percell, Murphy Plottza-Mahan, Chloe Cory, and Bradley and Cole Phelps.

Pat wished for an Irish celebration of life to be held in her memory. While observing CDC and state guidelines for social distancing and required facial coverings, public visitation will be held at Glenn E. George & Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Rd., Shelbyville, IN on Saturday September 12, 2020 from 2:00pm-4:00pm followed by a short memorial service with Rev. Mike Keucher officiating.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the American Red Cross in the form of financial assistance, volunteering or blood donations.

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