Ionia/Fairport:  Patricia Ann Philipson,  August 27, 1935 – January 1, 2022.  Patricia passed away peacefully on January 1, 2022, at Conesus Lake Nursing Home. She was 86 years old. She is survived by her children, Michael Anthony Philipson, Judith Ann Philipson Green (Scott), and Thomas William Philipson, who were by her bedside, and by Lewis and Thomas Stess Johnston, and Jesse Sutterlin, who are all “honorary sons”, and many dear friends. Her daughter, Chrisann Philipson, welcomed her into heaven.

She was born in Rochester, NY, into an Italian family and is pre-deceased by her siblings, Mary Jane and Anthony Russo and her parents, Theresa Cimo Russo and Dominick Russo.

Patty lived in Rochester, Ionia, Perinton, and Honeoye, NY. She loved going out on the boat and jet-ski, played elaborate practical jokes on her family, and created many happy memories at her beloved Harvard Cottage on Honeoye Lake. She worked a hard factory job at Crosman Arms in East Bloomfield, making BBs and BB guns. She was a consummate Euchre player, winning many championship games at the Senior Center in Perinton, and took great delight in “euchre-ing” all of her children whenever possible. She traveled the world with cruises to Barbados and the Bahamas, trips to San Francisco and Paris, and even visited Hawaii and Australia.

Above all, she had a wicked dry sense of humor which could have you rolling on the floor in laughter, or, alternately, cursing at her under your breath. Life threw challenge after challenge at her, but she carried on through all of it with great dignity and an incredible sense of style. She even earned the nickname “Hollywood” at Conesus Lake Nursing Home, where she received excellent care and true compassion by the entire staff. She loved clothes that sparkled and  had a shoe collection which once seemed to rival that of Imelda Marcos. She loved to decorate her home (orange was her favorite color!) and moved the furniture around about once a month just to “freshen things up”.

But most of all she was a Mom. She worked hard to put a roof over our heads and food in our stomachs. While sometimes too exhausted to do much else, she rubbed our bellies when sick, put butter on our burned fingers, and taught us about the consequences of our actions. Above all, she set a great example about how to rise above all life’s challenges with grace and laughter. Her presence will be sorely missed.

A graveside service will be held at 4pm on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Miller’s Corners Cemetery, Ionia, NY.   A Celebration of Life Gathering will be held following the service at the Ionia Fire Department.  Memorial contributions may be made to Embrace Your Sisters, PO Box 322, Canandaigua, NY 14424 or online at www.embraceyoursisters.org.  Please notate that your donation is in Patty’s memory, including your name and address.  To send a condolence or share a memory please visit:  www.doughertyfuneralhomes.com