Patricia Stack Coles, age 89, passed peacefully, surrounded by her loving family on March 17th, 2025, at Good Samaritan Hospital, West Islip, New York.

Born on July 9, 1935, in Richmond Hill, Queens, New York, she was the second youngest of eight children and the daughter of James and Elizabeth Stack – Irish immigrants from County
Kerry who were involved in the Easter Rising (1916) and the Irish War of Independence (1919-1922). She is survived by her husband, Charles Coles, five children – Kerry, Billy, Peter, Tara
and Kevin – ten grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and another great-grandchild expected in April, along with her sister, Joan, and her brother, Austin.

Pat was known for her sharp sense of humor, love of good pranks, and her boundless generosity and compassion. After working as a secretary at McCann-Erickson advertising agency (NYC), she married her high school sweetheart, Charlie Coles. They lived in Ozone Park, Queens before settling into suburban life in Massapequa, first to raise their two children before opening their hearts through the adoption of three more. At the end of the Vietnam war, Pat and Charlie participated in “Operation Babylift” a monumental effort by the U.S. government and others to evacuate over 3,000 infants and children from South Vietnam. They continued their efforts by helping relocate and settle Vietnamese families to the New York area – including Massapequa and sometimes even in their own house. Pat’s dedication to humanitarian causes extended even further. She and Charlie helped in the establishment of ‘Hogar Mi Casa,’ an orphanage for homeless boys in Guatemala. Her grassroots efforts included but were not limited to kitchen-table letter-writing and fundraising phone calls. In the 1980’s, she would often travel from her Massapequa home to a Harlem hospital, where she provided comfort and care for infants born with HIV/AIDS. Another bright spot in Pat’s later life was picking up her granddaughter, Kateri, from grade school and delivering Meals on Wheels with her, a kindness Pat continued well into her golden years. Pat’s concern and care for the homeless was well known in the community. Her family called her “friend of the friendless”. Her trips to ShopRite often included giving a bag of groceries and a pep talk to Donald, a homeless fixture in the parking lot.

In addition to love for family and friends, she found joy in cooking, expressing her love through feeding all who entered her home. Good gossip, a listening ear, it didn’t matter. She loved unexpected company. And the kettle of tea? Eternally ready. She touched the lives of countless people and will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her, and her legacy will forever be remembered. Rest in peace.

Patricia’s Mass will be held at St. Rose of Lima in Massapequa, NY on Saturday March 22nd at 10:15am. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to the St.
Martin of Tours Food Pantry, 37 Union Ave., Amityville, NY 11701.

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