Mary Patricia Herrick (nee Carey), age 94, a long-time resident of Wyndemere Independent Living Community in Wheaton, passed away peacefully on March 8, 2018 surrounded by her loving family at Westbridge Assisted Living in Wheaton.

Pat was born October 5, 1923 in Elmhurst, IL, attended York High School and then later graduated from Wheaton Central High School after her family moved to Warrenville, IL. Pat studied nursing at St. Anne's in Chicago, becoming an R.N. in 1946.

Pat worked as an R.N. for the Chicago Public Health Department, taking time to raise 8 children in Warrenville, Homewood and Elmhurst, IL. She worked for the DuPage County Health Department, pioneered discharge planning at Central DuPage and Hinsdale Hospitals, ultimately transitioning to support/ development of discharge planning for hospitals throughout the state of Illinois for BCBS. She worked for BCBS for 12 years.

Pat's strong Catholic faith was a driving force in her life. She was always interested in helping others. She maintained long-term friendships with many people from church, nurse's training and every community or neighborhood she found herself in. In her 18 years at the Wyndemere Independent Living Community, she was instrumental in fostering friendships and welcoming others who were new or needed assistance. She served on many committees, including recycling and food, and helping take care of plants in the winter greenhouse. Pat was always an energetic change-agent and championed the adoption of AEDs and procedures to best help residents.

Pat was a wonderful and beloved mom. She loved children, animals (especially dogs), gardening, flowers and also loved to read and discuss books with family and friends. She had a welcoming home for family and friends, enjoying planning, baking and cooking. She showed creativity in the kitchen with her homemade grape jam, homemade (exploding-in-the- basement) root beer and bourbon-soaked fruitcake. She was very proud of her family, and was happiest when she was sharing time with her children and their families.

Pat was alway a great and generous organizer, helping arrange volunteers for one night of the week at PADs. Pat was an energetic and positive problemsolver. As a young mom, she organized her neighborhood friends to paint the interior of a house as a young family struggled with the loss of their head- of-household, and needed to sell their home.

Pat married Matthew Anthony Neu in 1946 and had eight children. Matt passed away in 1976 after 29 happy years together. She found new love in 1981 when she married Donald Raymond Herrick of DeKalb, IL, a widower with 4 children. Pat and Don had a lot of fun entertaining their 12 children and all of their grandchildren in their Geneva home.

Pat was preceded in death by first husband, Matt Neu, and her second husband, Don Herrick, her parents, Cornelius Harding and Marguerite Carey, her sisters, Virginia Johnson and Dorothy Vertovec, brothers Harding and William Carey, and step-son Joseph Herrick.

She is survived by her children and step-children: Dr. Tom Neu (Sandy) of Naperville, Peter Neu of Joliet, Maribeth Newman (Bob) of Des Moines, Iowa, William Neu of Loppiano, Italy, Virginia Neu-Gianopoulos (Tony) of Naperville, Terese Neu Richmond (Keith) of Edmonds, WA, Dave Herrick of Northbrook, Mary Turner of Chugiak, AK, Dr. Greg Neu (Cindy) of Hoffman Estates, Joe Neu (Beth) of Batavia, Cathy Boyles (Kelly) of Chugiak, AK, 22 grandchildren and 17 great- grandchildren.

She was also known as Aunt Patsy to her Vertovec nieces and nephews (children of her sister, Dorothy) and their families. She treasured her relationships with her nieces Carey Piper and Kathy Vertovec, and grand- nieces, Peggy Peterson and Debbie Gamauf, and their families. She enjoyed long distance correspondence with the Carey nieces, Marguerite Henshaw and Maureen Wood and Vertovec nephews, Jim, John, Patrick and Steve and their families.

Pat's family wishes to thank the wonderful and caring staff of the Northwestern Oncology Center, Wyndemere Assisted Living, and Northwestern Hospice for their kindness.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to your local food bank.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. John the Baptist Church in Winfield, IL on Saturday, March 17 at 2 p.m.

For more information and guest book, please see hultgrenfh.com.