Patricia MacKillop, 73, of Jamesville, NY, passed away February 4, 2016, at Francis House, surrounded by family and friends This followed six months of treatment Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo for her third bout of lymphoma.
For nearly thirty-five years she was the elementary art teacher of the Westhill School District, serving at Cherry Road and Walberta Park Schools. This meant motivating and influencing every student in the district, sometimes as many as 800 in a week. One of the rewards of remaining in Syracuse was continuing encounters with former students, now artists themselves, gallery owners and arts-minded professionals.
Her productivity in the arts ranged over several media, beginning with watercolor. Inspired by the late Marie Wheeler, she become devoted to weaving and soft sculpture for more than two decades. She was elected president of the Syracuse Weavers’ Guild. More recently, under the tutelage of Mary Padgett, her focus had been on pastels. Pat had exhibited new work at St. David’s Celebration of the Arts for the last several springs.
In the past two decades, she had been active in two arts organizations. She took pride in being an Everson Museum Docent, where she thrived on the study and preparation for new exhibitions, as well as the fellowship of the other docents. Even happier was her participation in the Social Art Club, a virtual sorority, where members must deliver graduate-level presentations on art history. Her memorable contributions ranged from studies of the Irish Book of Kells to Andy Warhol.
Despite having a Scottish married name, Pat always relished her Polish identity. Children and grandchildren loved the traditional Easter cuisine of white borsht or zurek. Her most resonant journey was to her mother’s ancestral village of Sendek near Kielce.
Always outgoing and gregarious, Pat enjoyed the richness of the Syracuse cultural scene and often saw as many ninety live performances a year, musical and dramatic. She visited thirty countries on five continents and said the sublime gardens of Japan were her favorite spots. Until her illness, she never missed the Ann Arbor Art Fair.
Patricia was born in Detroit, Michigan, March 14, 1942, the oldest of four daughters of Stephen Kahan, a native of Auburn, NY, and the former Sophia Hodorek. She was a graduate in fine arts from Cass Tech, Detroit’s honors high school, and held the degrees of B.F.A. in Painting from Wayne State University, and M. Ed. In Art Education from Syracuse University.
She is survived by her loving husband of fifty-one years, James, an author and former OCC professor. Also her daughter Molly Mulvihill (Kevin) of Dewitt, and son Colin (Kyoko) of Silver Spring, Maryland. Molly & Kevin’s sons are Danny and Teddy Mulvihill. As well as three sisters in Michigan, Carolyn (James) Haselwood of New Baltimore; Christine (Herbert) Black and Anita (Michael) Griffin of Ann Arbor, and six nieces and nephews.
Calling hours are 2:00 to 4:00 and 6:00 to 8:00 pm Monday, February 8th at Eaton Tubbs Fayetteville Chapel, 7191 East Genesee Street, Fayetteville. Services will be 10:00 am Tuesday, February 9th at St. David’s Episcopal Church, 14 Jamar Drive, Fayetteville.
Donations in Pat’s memory may be made to Everson Museum of Art, 401 Harrison Street, Syracuse 13202; Francis House, 108 Michaels Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13208; or Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo 14263.

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