Patrecia Eleanor Gilmartin

Patrecia Eleanor Gilmartin, 81, originally from Camp Hill, PA and residing in New Holland, PA died Friday, March 22, 2019 at the Gardens at Stevens care facility in Stevens, PA.

Pat was born July 12, 1937 in Mechanicsburg, PA to Eleanor Margaret Becker and John Miller Becker. She graduated from Camp Hill High School in 1955 and attended Harrisburg Area Community College as a non-traditional student in the 1980’s. She worked at Purina Foods, Seidle Hospital and the office of Howard Cohen, MD; all of which were in Mechanicsburg, PA.

She was a beloved Girl Scout leader in the 1980’s. Several of her Girl Scouts visited her in the hospital during her last days.

She lived most of her life in Camp Hill, PA. In the later years of her life, she and her daughter’s family lived together in Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill and New Holland, PA. She may have lived in the same area for most of her life, but she loved to travel! Some of her favorite vacations include a three-week trip to Europe with the Girl Scouts, a cruise with her mother and daughter to the Caribbean, a trip with girlfriends to Hawaii, a tour of England, Scotland and Wales with family, and to Utah, Nevada, and the Southwest with her brother Pepper and his wife Nita. She also loved to go camping; tenting with Girl Scouts countless times, traveling to distant places with friends and family in her camper, and camping in a permanent campsite next to her brother Pepper’s campsite every weekend for years at Distelfink Campground in Manheim, PA.

She loved to watch sports, especially football and basketball. She was a big fan of the Philadelphia Eagles. She loved to bowl. She was in a bowling league for 20+ years, where she won many awards and had many friends.

She was an artist and crafter. China painting, rubber stamping, and painting ceramics were three of her favorites. She hosted a china painting group in her home weekly, attended a Stamping Up club (rubber stamping and paper crafting) monthly and painted her Santa Claus figures and many other ceramics on a regular basis. Many friends and family were gifted painted items over the years! In more recent years, spending time with her granddaughter MacKenzie was her favorite past time. She was a formidable Gin Rummy player and family game night was always something she looked forward to.

Pat loved to garden. She had a green thumb, especially where African violets and tomatoes were concerned!

Pat is survived by:

 Daughter Patrecia E. Van Brederode and husband Christopher

 Granddaughter MacKenzie Van Brederode

 David Gilmartin, step son and his family: Grandchildren Jeff Gilmartin and Ashley Gilmartin and two great-grandchildren Lexi and Ryott.

 Ted Gilmartin, step son and his family: Grandchildren Ted Gilmartin, Jr. and Todd Gilmartin and two great-grandchildren.

 Family of Kenny Gilmartin, step son: Kenny Gilmartin, Jr.

 Brother John A. Becker (Jack) and wife Paulette Becker

 Nieces and nephews: Laurie Santin, Jim Becker, Michele Sebastiani, Bob Sebastiani, Jim Scales, Linda Scales, Karen Scales, Fred Gilmartin, Susan Long

Pat is preceded in death by:

 Husband Clarence William Gilmartin, Jr. (Bill)

 Step son Kenny Gilmartin

 Brother Donald George Becker

 Nephew Scott Wesley Becker

 Many pets will have met her over the Rainbow Bridge; most recently Koko, Alex, and Happy.

A private interment will be held at the National Cemetery Annex in Gettysburg, Pa. No memorial services will be held, at the request of the deceased. Pat preferred the thought of a party instead, so there will be a celebration of her life the weekend of July 6-7, 2019 in Harrisburg, PA. Please contact her daughter to be included on the guest list. All loved ones, friends and family are invited!

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the East Coast Animal Rescue in Fairfield, PA. She had a unique relationship with a tiger named Roscoe there. Roscoe has also crossed the Rainbow Bridge…we are sure he was there to greet her as well.

https://www.eastcoastexoticrescue.org/new-page (for monetary donation)

https://www.eastcoastexoticrescue.org/wish-list (for donations in-kind)

The address of the rescue is:

ECEAR

320 Zoo Road

Fairfield, PA 17320

Thank you to the caregivers at the Garden Spot Adult Day Program, The Gardens at Stevens, and Caring Hospice for their important roles in caring for Pat and her family in these last years and months.