Patricia Alice McElearney, daughter, sister, student, teacher, and beloved mother of five, passed away too soon on Monday, September 25, 2017. She was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years, Ralph Francis McElearney and is survived by five children: Anne Miller, Mark McElearney, John McElearney, Peter McElearney, and Sgt. Major Paul McElearney of the U.S. Marine Corps. Patricia was a proud and loving Grandma to 7 grandchildren: John McElearney, Jamie Marie McElearney, Erin Miller, Dinita McElearney, Alexander Miller, Paul McElearney Jr., and Luis McElearney. She is also survived by 6 siblings: Joseph McGuirk, Sr., Christine Julie, SND, Jane Richards, Elizabeth Sheerin, Michael McGuirk, and Mary Ellen McGuirk. Finally, Patricia enjoyed her numerous nieces and nephews to whom she was known as 'Auntie Pat.' Patricia was born in 1934 in Medford, MA to Hugh and Eileen McGuirk. She grew up in St. Mary of the Annunciation Parish in Cambridge where she attended school and met her future husband. After high school, while working full time as a medical secretary, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College through its extension program as women were not yet admitted to the college of Arts and Sciences. She graduated in 1959. In 1967, Patricia and Ralph moved with three young children to Naples, Italy in order for Ralph to pursue graduate work as a Fulbright scholar. Patricia did not know the country, nor speak Italian, yet she navigated food shopping, Neapolitan driving, Italian schooling, and the care of her young children in a tiny apartment for an entire year. After raising her children, Patricia taught Latin to 7th and 8th graders at Saint Agnes School in Arlington for over a decade. She traveled to Ireland, the Dominican Republic, England and to various parts of the United States to visit her children and grandchildren. More recently, she was a long time resident at Drake Village in Arlington and Neville Center in Cambridge. Patricia was a strong woman with a wonderful sense of humor and an immensely kind heart who was universally loved and will be sorely missed. A memorial will be held at Burns Funeral Home in Cambridge on Friday evening, October 6th from 4:00 to 7:00 pm, and a mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Mary of the Annunciation Church in Cambridge, MA on Saturday morning, October 7th at 10:00 am. A private internment will be held at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Franciscan Children's Home, 30 Warren St., Brighton, Mass.