Patricia Ann Blackwood

Patricia Ann Blackwood June 22,1935-August 29,2025 Pat was born on a Monday in Webster, Massachusetts, daughter of James T O’Keefe and Margaret Felton O’Keefe. She passed peacefully at Maine Medical Center surrounded by family, all of whom she was thankful. She earned the nickname of Aunty Sunshine by many of her nieces and nephews. Fittingly enough, Pat was from the Silent Generation. There were many things that happened the year that she was born. The Dalai Lama was born. Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis were also born that year. Babe Ruth hit his 714th home run, a record that held until 1974. Amelia Earhart flew solo across the Pacific . Parker Brothers introduced their new game, Monopoly. FDR introduced the Social Security program. He also introduced the Works Progress Administration, created to combat the Great Depression. There was great turmoil at home and worldwide. American Senator Huey Long was assassinated. They were protests and riots everywhere with the uprising of world problems which led to World War II. Pat was the oldest of six siblings. She was her father‘s right hand person and learned how to work all the chores at home as well as help her father with any car repairs. Her father depended on her, perhaps because she was the oldest. As a result, her siblings looked up to her. At the age of eleven, her father bought her a horse named Dancer, and he presented it as Christmas gift. She was a huge animal lover and had other horses later. She was more comfortable with animals than people. As a young teen, her father used to take her to the horse races in Foxboro. He secured a job for Pat to work in the stables, but to Pat’s dismay, her mother felt it was not an appropriate job for a young woman. During this time, her family lived on Sizer Drive in Wales, MA. As a young girl , her father drove the family to Texas, perhaps in the late 1940’s. Imagine traveling such a long distance on some of these early highways? Pat graduated from Hitchcock Free Academy in Brimfield as Valedictorian. Her love of horses, was how she met her husband, John Wellington Norton, also of Wales, MA. They married in St Monica’s church on July 3,1954. Together they drove his Harley cross country to California sometime in 1954, quite an adventure for the time period. They lived in California for a while. Her marriage didn’t last and she remarried later to William Blackwood. At this time Pat secured a job at Warren Pumps, always a hard worker. Later she and Bill became long haul truckers. Her marriage to Bill did not last. She went to work for TJ O’Keefe trucking company, a company owned by her brother. She was tough and independent and a women of a few words. When Pat spoke, you made sure to listen. She once confessed that her biggest fear was to be in a room filled with strangers. She never forgot her pets, Tasha, the Doberman, Tom and Reba, her cats, and all her pets over the years. Pat retired with the Mass Turnpike as a toll collector. She spent many winters in Clearwater, FL . She was a life member of the Ladies Auxiliary of the VFW #2473. Pat also spent her summers at a campground in Brimfield, after she sold her home. Pat was predeceased by both husbands, her brothers Terrance O’Keefe and wife Rena, Michael O’Keefe and the mother of his children, Eileen O’Keefe, sisters Shiela Brooks and Karen Piemonte and her husband Joseph. She was also predeceased by her grandsons Michael and John Norton of Standish, ME. Pat is survived by her adored sister Maureen Card and her husband James of Swanton, MD. She leaves a daughter Jeanne Roman and husband Anthony of Holland, MA, and a son Terrence Norton and wife Suzan of Standish, ME. She leaves several nieces and nephews, whom she loved very much. Pat will be missed for her wit, sarcasm and sassiness. After all, she was Called Aunty Sunshine by all who loved her. There will be no funeral service at Pat’s request. Interment will be in Brimfield during the Summer as well as a Celebration of Life.

Patricia Ann Blackwood

June 22, 1935 - August 29, 2025

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