Patricia Koehle

Patricia “Pat” Koehle, age 68, of Erie, passed away at home, Friday, April 12, 2019.

"Pat" was born in Cleveland, Ohio and moved to Erie when she was in fourth grade. She graduated from Strong Vincent High School in 1968 and left Erie to attend the University of Pittsburgh, and then St. Francis Nursing School, graduating with a diploma and R.N. Pat returned to Erie in 1976 and married Bill Koehle and they had three children. Pat valued education, as did her parents Bill and Dale McGhee, and she completed a degree in English Literature at Mercyhurst College in 1987. Pat left Erie again in 1990 to move to Arizona and lived there until 2011 when she returned to Erie to be closer to her children and grandchildren. While living in Arizona, Pat graduated twice from Northern Arizona University, accomplishing the completion both a Master's in Education and a Master's in Counseling.  Pat was a Licensed Professional Counselor, first in Arizona and then in Pennsylvania. Pat was committed to the concerns and issues related to health and mental health of children and families in whatever community she lived and worked in. Pat worked as a nurse, childbirth educator, and mental health counselor. In Arizona Pat worked with under-privileged and abused/traumatized children and their families and carried those skills and experience to Erie where she worked as a mental health therapist as well. Pat advocated for the needs of children and families with mental health needs and encouraged others to do so as well. Pat was an avid reader and was enthusiastically committed to promoting reading wherever she went, creating book groups in housing projects while in Arizona, and in Erie, advocated for and supported the Erie County Public Library, where she attended a monthly book club at the Millcreek branch.

Pat was preceded in death by her mother Daisy Dale Shaw McGhee, father William Washington "Bill" McGhee, both formerly of Bristol, Virginia and brother Daniel G, McGhee her son Andrew Winston Koehle and best friends Pamela Weber and Dwight E. Wheeler, to whom she was also once married.

Pat is survived by her children Elspeth Katrine "Kate", Nathaniel William "Nate", and her awesome, wonderful grandchildren Raleigh, Ari, Kennedy, and Ada (who are all avid readers too!), and by her nephew Shaughn McGhee. She will also be remembered by friends Leslie Anderson and Carole Jakubowski.  

Friends may call at the Burton Westlake Funeral Home, 3801 West 26^th Street, (at Powell Avenue) on Thursday, April 18^th, 2019, from 6 to 8 p.m.