Pat Gildea is pictured in her Hollidaysburg home in August 2023. A lifelong Hollidaysburg resident, Gildea, who passed away May 31 at age 99, is being remembered for her faith and service to community. Mirror file photo by Patrick Waksmunski

HOLLIDAYSBURG — There was no doubt Pat Gildea loved her community.

“She knew everybody and everybody knew her. She loved Hollidaysburg and her neighbors. Pat truly lived a life of service and did it so quietly, all that she did was to advance a positive aspect of our community. Pat just loved life and loved Hollidaysburg,” said Hollidaysburg Borough director of community relations and events Melanie Ramsey, who grew up near Gildea and had known her for many years.

Patricia M. Gildea, 99, peacefully passed away May 31 at her residence.

She was a 1945 graduate of Hollidaysburg High School and went on to graduate from Mount Aloysius College.

“Pat really represented the heart and soul of Mount Aloysius and truly embodied the values of the Sisters of Mercy. She loved the Mount deeply and gave so much of herself to it over the course of nearly eight decades,” said college President John McKeegan. “She showed up for students, alumni, events and the community in ways both big and small. Whether she was mentoring students, helping at alumni events, or simply encouraging others, she carried the Mercy mission with her everywhere she went.”

“She stayed active at the college after she graduated. She encouraged students (and) was a mentor to everyone she met,” said Cynthia Moringiello, temporary regent of the Catholic Daughters of America, Our Lady of The Alleghenies No.1755. Gildea was a charter member of the chapter.

Gildea served more than 50 years as assistant court administrator at the Blair County Courthouse. She retired in 2009 at the age of 82.

“When we worked together at the county — she as assistant court administrator and me as commissioner — she was always well prepared and had her facts and figures ready to answer whatever questions we had,” said former commissioner Donna Gority, who is also president of the ArtsAltoona board. “Pat was always a very classy lady, a wonderful role model and inspiration.”

“When she started, she did not know the justice system, but she learned it and made her mark. She got in on the ground floor with the state organization. She took over leadership and every court administrator on the East Coast knew the name Pat Gildea,” said Blair County Senior Judge Jolene Kopriva.

Gildea helped establish the Pennsylvania Association of Court Management and served at the state and national levels.

Gildea won several awards over the years.

She was the first recipient of the Athena Leadership Award from the Blair County Chamber of Commerce and also was awarded the Prince Gallitzin Peace Cross. WISE Women of Blair County recognized her as their 2016 Lifetime Tribute honoree.

She was also well-known for serving others.

McKeegan said she had “an incredible ability” to meet people where they were and make them feel appreciated and seen.

“Pat will be remembered as someone who devoted her life to serving others with humility, grace and compassion. People will remember her warmth, her faith, her dedication and the genuine love she had for this community,” McKeegan said.

Kopriva said she was a real inspiration for so many people and was always eager to work with others.

“Her level of commitment was above reproach. Even though she did all of the work, she didn’t care if others got the credit,” Kopriva said. “She was the matriarch of Hollidaysburg. The community has lost a treasure.”

Marie Little, president of the Hollidaysburg Area Arts Council, said Gildea played a role in the formation of the council.

“She was always interested in Hollidaysburg and the people who lived here. She was a person of integrity (and) she always thought before she spoke. She was an active member up until April. She was a fabulous person,” Little said.

Gildea was a lifetime member of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church.

Moringiello said faith was of utmost importance to Gildea, as she lived it out in her interactions with people and in her activism in her community.

“Her life was ‘what would Jesus do?’ She followed it every single day of her life. She started the Legion of Mary. She would visit people in the hospital and minister to people,” Moringiello said. “Any problem you had, you went to her and she would help you or find a source to help you. It is not just a loss for Hollidaysburg, but a loss for the county.”

In her closing thoughts upon her retirement, Gildea said, “Your faith in God’s daily intervention is so important, he will always get you through any situation, even if it is one you did not anticipate. Focus on the moment, trust in God.”

A funeral Mass was celebrated Thursday at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church with Father Alan E. Thomas, celebrant. Committal was held at Calvary Cemetery.

Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 814-946-7467.