Deceased November 7, 1988

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In Memory

Patrick died suddenly on Nov. 7, 1988, at his home on Beacon Hill in Boston. The news of his demise left us shaken and emotionally plundered while grasping for perspective on this unexpected event. Patrick was born in Ireland, one of nine children. At the age of eight, he came to this country to live with his Aunt Katherine and Edward Bergin in Marblehead, Mass. There he was raised and schooled before attending Amherst.

At Amherst Pat carried a dual major in English and history. He was a member of the somewhat infamous Beta Theta Pi and is remembered by the brothers for his Irish good humor, as well as his durable performance at the tap. Pat was a man of few close friends, but those of us who shared our lives with him at Amherst and later were enriched by his intrepid spirit and yet piqued by his occasional tempestuous nature. Patrick loved Amherst and reveled in its distinction and prestige. He never lost sight of his origin, however, and used his emerging prosperity to purchase a home for his family in Ireland. Pat played football as a freshman and was a noted fullback on the rugby team for four years. His fearless play and thundering kicks contributed largely to the success of the 1968 Lord Jeff rugby team ranked second in the East.

After Amherst, Pat taught for two years in Littleton, N.H., before beginning his business career in the college book division of Harper and Row Publishing. He subsequently earned his M.B.A. from Wharton in 1974 and moved into investment banking initially in Providence, R.I. He returned to Boston in 1980 to work in asset management for the Bank of Boston. After a short entrepreneurial stint developing and marketing a money management software package, Pat worked for The Boston Company where he rose to the position of senior vice president in bond market management before his death. He was a tried and true Bostonian, a sports “junkie” and avid fan of the Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins.

Losing a friend in the prime of his life compels us to witness our own human frailty, to fathom that which defies comprehension, to try to reassemble a splintered confidence that life is somehow fair, and forge ahead. Throughout his life, Patrick forged ahead. The passing of Patrick Thewlis produces an unresolvable voice for friends and family. Patrick is survived by Judith Hayden Thewlis, his wife of only 15 months, and his parents, Edward and Katherine Bergin of Marblehead.

James R. Parkinson ’69