SUNY New Paltz for additional post graduate work in elementary education.
Pat Erne retired as a Physical Education Teacher from the New Paltz School System, New Paltz, NY. She worked as a physical education teacher, and field hockey coach, in the Red Hook school district for several years, then she worked as the physical education teacher at the New Paltz Campus School for a few more years, and then she worked for the New Paltz Central School district for nearly 30 years as the physical education teacher at Duzine Elementary School. She invented a curriculum she called movement education, which utilized her dance training. During the last ten years of her teaching career she was also the tennis coach for the New Paltz school district, and her teams had many winning seasons and awards. During her career, she also coached field hockey, basketball, softball, and cheerleading. Her favorite coaching activity was tennis.
She worked diligently to convince the world that women and sports were an appropriate combination, and that women's team sports should be recognized and applauded in the same way as men's sporting endeavors. Her coaching duties in women's sports were almost always a volunteer effort, and seldom compensated. Though she was never compensated at the same level as her male counterparts, that never stopped her efforts to bring gender equity to women's sports. She was actively involved in issues related to Title IX. She felt strongly about gender equity in all sport and athletic endeavors. Today's female athletes have what they have today due, in part, to the efforts of groundbreaking women like Pat Erne.
She enjoyed all sports, but her favorites were dance, tennis, and skiing. During her retirement years, she was very active with the TNT tappers, and she always worked to pull together a summer tennis league in New Paltz, NY. She was a fanatic book worm and participated in several book clubs. The TNT Tappers perform for nursing homes, hospitals, and charitable events, and she loved her time with the group. An ever present passion across the years was her love of gardening, and she was always eager to share this passion with everyone and anyone.
She married John Conrad "Jack" Erne on August 14, 1954. Jack Erne was a native of Kingston, NY, and he predeceased her in 1998. They met due to some bet that her brother John made with her. She is survived by a daughter, Nina Lee Erne-Shindel of Modena, NY; a son, Ian Todd Erne of New Paltz, NY; two granddaughters, Erika Kelly-Armbruster and Kidiara Shindel and two great grandsons, Anthony McCrory and Cloud Storm Campbell. In addition to her husband and parents, Patricia is predeceased by two brothers, Donald G. Weaver and John W. Weaver IV; and a sister, Dorothy Weaver-Thomson-Wauchope. Her brother, Bruce Weaver, survives her and resides in the Monroe, Washington area.
Relatives and friends may call Saturday, April 14, 2018, from 2pm to 4pm at Copeland Funeral Home, 162 South Putt Corners Road, New Paltz, NY. There are no formal funeral services, however, memories of Patricia will be shared during calling hours by those that wish to. Cremation took place at Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. Donations can be made in memory to one of her two favorite charities, The National Wildlife Federation, PO Box 1583, Merrifield VA 22116-1583 or the Ulster SPCA at 20 Wiedy Rd, Kingston, NY 12401 (any SPCA would make her very happy).
Her guidance, strength, love, intelligence, sense of humor, and decency will always be cherished and desperately missed.
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