Patricia C. Randall

WESTFIELD, MA - Patricia Carolyn Randall, 84, left this universe on Thursday, March 23, 2023, at her home in Westfield, Massachusetts.

Born on January 29, 1939, at Brightlook Hospital in St. Johnsbury, VT to Glendon E. and Shirley May (Darling) Randall, Sr. Pat grew up on her parents’ farms first in Marshfield, where she attended grade school. The family then moved to their farm in Cabot and it is there that she attended junior high and high school, graduating from Cabot in 1957.

Pat was an avid sports fan and loved basketball and softball. In her years in Cabot there was a contest to name the team mascot. Pat came up with the name Cabot Huskies, and it still stands today. Pat fought for women’s rights to participate in all sports and never backed down from knocking on any administrator’s door to get what she wanted.

After graduating from Springfield College with a Bachelors in Health and Physical Education in 1962, Pat settled into Westfield for an educational career until her retirement in 1997. In 1974, she received her Masters of Education from Springfield College. Westfield became her second family with student athletes and their families, fellow teachers and coaches, and many dear friends.

Her accomplishments were many during her years as a health and physical education teacher, coach, and Health Coordinator for Westfield Public Schools. Basketball remained her love, as she coached many winning seasons at Westfield High and coached the women’s basketball team at AIC. In 1995, Pat was inducted into the Northeast Women’s Hall of Fame in recognition of her outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the development of women’s athletics. There was no bigger UConn Huskies Women’s Basketball fan, and Pat spent many hours watching the games on TV while conversing over the phone with her sister Barb, and having Bella, her beloved cat and companion, by her side.

In 2018, a crowd of past athletes, friends, and family packed into the Westfield High School auditorium to honor her 39 years of dedication to Westfield and girls’ sports as her plaque reads: A Pioneer in Women’s Athletics, Respected Teacher, Devoted Coach, and Loving Friend . When she began teaching, there were only two options for girls’ sports: basketball and cheerleading. After many long hard-fought battles, by 1967, she had grown the program to include tennis, track and field, soccer, a drill team, and the GAA (Girls Athletic Association), She created these teams; she coached them; and she fundraised to provide equipment and uniforms, selling candy bars out the back of her car, as well as collecting papers and cardboard for recycling.

Although the list of Pat’s accomplishments is long, her true legacy is the way she helped shape young girls into strong, determined women who were willing to work hard to reach their dreams and full potential. At the same time, she taught these girls to face everything life has to offer with a smile and warm loving heart.

After Pat’s successful years teaching and coaching, then “retiring” in 1997, she purchased her second home and the Forest Country Store at Lake Groton, VT. She brought both of her brothers on board to help with the renovations and inventory. They weren’t allowed to run the cash register. Only the girls. She kept the store running for twenty-five years, with many hours and days, four months a year. Many of us would have thrown in the towel but she opened every day and closed every night. Pat looked forward to the many campers who would stop by to see her every summer, looking forward to the new jokes posted on the walls, and to see what kind of sarcastic comment of the day would be printed on her shirt.

Pat loved having her family and friends come and visit and we had many gatherings and fond memories made at the lake together. Sunny, summer memories-swimming and fishing, painting and craft projects, riding on the party boat, roasting s’mores, and of course, nightly walks to the store to get an ice cream cone from Auntie Pat.

Survivors include her two brothers Glendon E. Randall Jr., and Kenneth (Berta) Randall; her brother-in-law Brian Hudson; her nieces Valerie Hudson, Julie (Tony) Tejera, Allison Randall, Lorrie Biancardi and Cathy (Ray) LaBounty; her nephews Travis (Christopher) Randall, Todd (Stacey) Randall, Troy (girlfriend Amber) Randall and Jasen Leonard; her great nieces Kristin, Courtney, Dayna, Kaeleigh and Kelsea; her great nephews Ross, Trevor, Cody, Curtis, Kolby, C.J., Zachary, Connor, Logan, Javion, Tre’Shaun, Kyle, Kevin, Jake, Ricky, Ross, Bobby, Myles, John, Alex, Julian, Daniel and Kodiak and many great, great, nieces and nephews as well as close friends (like family) Tina and Ray Broderick and their children, Matt and Lindsey;  and Rosie and Brian Bonner and their children Aaron and Justin, and their grandchildren Lillian, Ella, Madelyn, Molly and Brynn.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her sister Barbara Hudson, her sister-in- law Ginny Randall and her nephews Daniel Davis, Kirk Biancardi and Ray LaBounty, III.

Pat will be always remembered…a dear sister, kind Auntie Pat, loving Godmother, cherished friend, trailblazer in girls’ sports, a tough coach who always had your back, and an incredible human being.

The service to honor and celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at 12:00 p.m. (noon) in the Hooker Whitcomb Funeral Home, 7 Academy Street, Barre.  Family and friends may call starting at 11:00 a.m. until the time of the service.  Interment will take place at a later date. There will also be a memorial service in Westfield, Massachusetts in June, at a date to be determined.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to establish a scholarship in Pat’s name, which will be given to a female athlete. Donations can be given online at csfwiestfield.dollarsforscholars.org. Checks can be mailed to CSF Westfield Dollars for Scholars, P.O. Box 382, Westfield, MA 01086. (Please make sure Pat Randall is on the memo line.)