Patricia Mahoney Hoel

Patricia Mahoney Hoel, 77, of Palm Springs, California, formerly of Moline, Illinois, passed away on Wednesday, June 18, 2014, at Hi-Desert Continuing Care Center, Joshua Tree, California, from the effects of a stroke suffered at home in 2010. Her husband of 53 years, Walter, was at her bedside. Wife, mother, and friend to everyone, she had battled Parkinson's disease as well for over 12 years.

Graveside services and burial are 11 a.m. Thursday, June 26, 2014, at Rock Island Memorial Park. Trimble Funeral and Cremation Center, Moline, is assisting the family. A Celebration of Life service will be held in Palm Springs at a later date.

Patricia was born in Moline, on October 4, 1936, to Philip and Viola Scherer Mahoney. Both were teachers and administrators in the Moline area. Pat graduated from Moline High School in 1954 and attended Denison University in Ohio, studying theater. Later she attended Drake University in Iowa. She met Walter Hoel on a blind date in Moline in 1960. They married after a two month relationship, and celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary last December. They had three children: Philip Scott, of Moline, Bryan Dean, of Costa Mesa, California, and now deceased, and Jefferey Charles of Naples, Florida. Her parents preceded her in death. She also has a foster sister, Wanda Tague of Davenport, Iowa.

Pat and Walt lived around the Midwest for many years before settling in Arlington Heights, Illinois, a Northwest suburb of Chicago, where Walt was a News Director and anchorman for 31 years at several Chicago radio stations. They moved to Palm Springs when Walt retired and became "snowbirds" living in Palm Springs until the summer heat sent them back to Illinois, leaving one group of friends for another. Pat's greatest love was to be with her family. She touched the lives of everyone she knew.

Pat had a major career in Chicago theater, but not as an actress, rather offstage where she helped find costumes, move scenery and made friends with stars like Betty Grable, Ray Milland, Ann Southern, Jane Russell, John Forsyth, and singers Bette Midler, Sammy Davis Jr., and Kenny Rogers. She had an eye for spotting talent, and producers would send her to New York to check out new faces.

Patricia enjoyed writing and authored three books. She also loved bingo and bowling, dancing and swimming, dogs and Chinese food, music and reading, and partying with friends in Palm Springs. Her outgoing personality, sense of humor, laughter and passion for life will be missed by her family and friends. It was said that she never knew a stranger. Pat also worked with handicapped children in Illinois, which her father had done as Director of Special Education in the Moline school system.