Patricia Ann Dragon

On Wednesday morning, December 9, 2020, Patricia Ann Dragon (81) of Fuquay-Varina, NC peacefully passed away at home surrounded by her family and husband who was holding her hand.

Patricia was born May 19, 1939 in Malone, NY to Raphael and Angeline Lamitie, as one of fifteen children. Being born into such a large traditional French-American Catholic farmer’s family, it’s not surprising she was always most comfortable among large family gatherings.

In 1958, she graduated from Franklin Academy High School, holding her diploma in one hand and the love of her life, Gary M Dragon’s hand in the other. Their first meeting remained a debate their entire 65 years together as to the nature of her “accidentally” dropping her books in front of him on the school stairs. By her account, it was fate played out in her hurrying to her next class. By his account, it was a master plan executed beautifully to meet him. If it was a ploy, she was successful in it and married him June 25, 1960, and celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in June 2020.

With Hollywood-esque beauty and a warm heart, this farmgirl next door married not for his good looks, nor for his good provider potential—and by no means for his handyman skills—but truly married for the love and devotion he proved to her day in and day out. Matching his love and devotion she was beguiling, and Gary is known to have hitch-hiked from Camp Lejeune, NC as a young Marine to their hometown on the border of Quebec on only a 72-hour pass just to see her. She married him for the man who would be by her side “in sickness and in health ‘til death do us part” and by that account she married jackpot-like winnings. She loved and adored him with few exceptions, one being his often dry sense of humor.

Together they raised four children, who much to her chagrin shared in their father’s disposition of humor. Despite this, her children were her labor of love and life’s focus, and when her youngest went off to kindergarten in 1972, she began working as an executive secretary at her husband’s accounting firm, then Wolf & Dragon, until her retirement alongside her husband in 2000 from Dragon, Benware, Crowley & Co., when they moved from New York to North Carolina.

Patricia is survived by her husband Gary, their four children, Timothy G Dragon of Fuquay-Varina, NC, Gail Dragon (and her husband Steven Chiarello) of Lillington, NC , Thomas G Dragon of Scottsdale, AZ and Heidi M Dragon of Raleigh, NC; grandchildren Daniel Chiarello of Lillington, NC, Thomas Chiarello (and his wife Kerry Chiarello) of Denver, CO, Tyler Chiarello (and his wife Amber Chiarello) of Fuquay-Varina, NC and TJ Dragon of Battlement Mesa, CO; and her source of extreme joy the last four years, her great grandchild Tyler Chiarello Jr. of Fuquay-Varina, NC. She is also survived by her brother Calvert and sisters Leona, Urla, Joan, Sandra, Joyce, and Pam.

Patricia is preceded in death by her father and mother, brothers and sisters Rose, Maggie, Frank, Lester, and Mary.

A memorial service will be held at a later date in the Spring due to the ongoing pandemic.

In lieu of flowers please feel free to donate to: Transitions LifeCare, Philanthropy Dept. | 250 Hospice Circle | Raleigh, NC 27607 transitionslifecare.org/donate

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