Obituary of Patrick D. Colwell
Patrick D. Colwell, 72, of Glastonbury passed away peacefully with his family by his side on Saturday, February 10, 2024. He was the beloved husband of Mary Lou Ruggiero Colwell.
Born in Syracuse, NY, Patrick was the son of the late Joseph and Betty (Bennett) Colwell. In addition to his wife, Patrick is survived by and will be terribly missed by his daughter, Maria Lois and her husband, Daniel, of OR, his son, Joe Colwell and Joe’s lovable dog, Maximus (Max), of CT, his brother, Michael Colwell and his wife, Patricia, of NY and his sister, Teresa Colwell, also of NY.
Albeit too short, Pat lived a wonderful life filled with love and laughter. He was an amazing husband, father, son, brother, friend and coach. His love for his family and friends was deep and his energy was boundless. An avid sportsman, he was college basketball’s greatest fan (Go UCONN)...and, in his earlier days, could play a mean pick-up basketball game himself. He especially loved golfing and watching the pros at the Travelers Championship in Hartford. He closely followed all sports and always had a special place in his heart for the underdogs - Let’s Go Mets and Jets! An equally avid outdoorsman, he loved camping, going on hikes and bike riding, most recently throughout local CT trails with his e-bike. A huge music fan, Pat enjoyed all genres of music but was especially fond of rhythm and blues to which he could dance all night. He was passionate about good food and drink and, on a daily basis, would whip up a delicious meal for his family in no time flat. He found cooking and his time in the kitchen to be a great stress-reliever.
Speaking of stress, Pat set high goals for himself and worked hard to achieve them! He was an extremely successful Account Executive in Sales for many years, retiring from Fedex Office in 2018. While at Fedex Office, he was recognized as one of their top ten Field Account Executives and received President’s Club honors for three consecutive years; enjoying trips to Hawaii, Nevis and Aruba with his wife. He always said that the secret to his success was that he would really listen to his customers and strive to meet their needs. Having worked hard all his life, beginning as a newspaper delivery boy at a very young age, retirement left a void in Pat’s life which was filled by his tenure as a building substitute teacher for the Manchester Public Schools until his illness got the best of him.
Along with Pat’s strong work ethic was his equally strong quest for fun and laughter. Those of us fortunate enough to know him, know that he was a “great and giving guy with an unmatched sense of humor!” To further quote some of his Most Holy Rosary High School friends in Syracuse, “heaven just got funnier!” and “oh, the stories he would deliver that had us all doubled over in laughter while he maintained a straight face! But he always had that twinkle in his eye, knowing that he had brought laughter and fun to our otherwise mundane day.”
Those of us who knew him, also know that behind all those laughs was a kind, thoughtful man with a very big heart. His warmth and outgoing personality drew people in as he asked questions and sincerely listened to and cared about what they had to say. While he was curious about people, he was also curious about the world and how to make things better - always trying to come up with an idea which would make life easier or more pleasant for others. This curiosity and imagination led to him eventually being granted a United States Patent.
Patrick Colwell was a truly unforgettable, one-in-a-million person who positively touched the lives of all who knew him. He was incredibly kind to everyone he met and left us all with a smile. In memory of Pat, please take a moment to be kind to someone, even a stranger. It makes a difference!
In accordance with Pat’s wishes, no services are scheduled. A private burial will be held along with a Celebration of Life at a later date.
For online condolences, please visit www.mulryanfh.com.